The Shadow
There is a common theme amongst the Alleghany baseball players that seem to be followed by almost every member of the squad: hard work.
And first baseman, Wyatt Griffith is no different, and quite possibly may be near the top of that list, and it all started when he was 5 years old. That is when Griffith’s dad signed him up for tee-ball, and two years later he was drafted to Nolan Caldwell’s Minor B Little League team.
“That’s where it all started for me,” Griffith said. “The friends, the coaches and the lifelong memories.”
As Griffith got a little older and into high school, he tried other sports as well. He ran indoor track as a freshman and sophomore, and added golf as a sophomore as well, but as a junior he just started going to Roanoke where he began working out for baseball all year-round.
From those years until now, baseball has been a deep passion for the senior.
“My free time is mostly spent around baseball in some form. Either watching in person, on the tv or working out day in and day out, it is a grind to get better, so I spend my free time trying to improve myself whether it be mentally or physically, as much as possible,” Griffith said.
With baseball always on his mind, Griffith, like most of his teammates, believes the sky is the limit for his team this season.
“I think we have a great shot to win the states this year. We have the talent, we are working day in and day out, and most importantly we are rooting for each other. We support each other no matter what and I think that can result in huge success,” he said.
“My personal goal for the rest of the season it to maintain a good average on the season and drive in runs. For the team, I’m shooting for a perfect season. If you strive for perfection every day we will like where we end up,” Griffith said.
The lefty also believes that his coaching staff is a huge reason things are on an upward trend this year.
“I’ve been blessed with good coaches my whole life,” Griffith stated.
“Coach Caldwell, Weese and Griffith built the frame for us young guys, and coach Bradley, Burdette and Rice are working every day to refine our skills,” he continued.
Something sticking in Griffith’s mind is last year’s tourney run, and that memory has elevated the focus on his final season.
“It’s very hard to pick my favorite memory, but I think if a had to pick a few it would be our state run my junior year. We were very underrated but kept our noses to the grindstone and kept working. We ended up making it to the state tournament which was so much fun. My other favorite memory is my nine RBI game, two home runs, and a single,” Griffith explained.
Griffith’s mother and father are two more people that have helped him throughout his career. Basically, it is like having two different kinds of coaches off the field.
“My family plays a huge role in my day-to-day life. My mother helps me a lot with the mental side of baseball and is very good with helping control emotions on the field. My Dad throws balls to me every day. They both play such a huge impact in my day-to-day life,” Griffith said thankfully.
Whether or not the Mountaineers hoist the ultimate trophy this year or not, next season will be totally different. Although Griffith will have graduated, he thinks the unknown of the consolidation of Covington and Alleghany will be a good thing.
“I think consolidation Will be good for the community. Both schools are down on numbers, and I think this was the best move. It improves the number of students, the amount of money into the school, and I think it will improve sports teams as well,” Griffith said confidently.
Just for fun, Griffith was asked if he was ever drafted to Major League Baseball, where would he want to play and why. His answer was based on his personal feelings and his playing style.
“If I was to get drafted into the MLB, I would love to play first base for the Boston Red Sox. The ballpark is favored for a left-handed hitter, and that’s always been my favorite team. Growing up I always wanted to be like “Papi” (David Ortiz) in the clutch moments. That’s where I received my nickname, so it would be a dream to reality to play for the Boston Red Sox,” Griffith concluded.
