Adams proves to be a leader for younger team members

Owen Adams

White County Warrior Baseball team hasn’t had their strongest season, but a leader has begun to emerge on the team and hopes to help push the team to better times ahead.

“Owen [Adams] is just a sophomore but is already a leader on the team,” Warrior baseball coach Roggie Haston said about his starting left fielder and sometimes pitcher.

Haston said Adams is an all-around good player who swings the bat well, runs the bases well, covers the outfield great, and has a strong arm.

“One word to describe Owen for me would be ‘competitor,’” Haston said.

Adams understands that some of his teammates are looking toward him for encouragement at the end of a long season.

“We’ve been losing a little bit, but I am just trying to keep us up and trying to get a win for the seniors that are leaving,” Adams said of his efforts on the field and in the dugout. “Hopefully, next year we can do a little better.”

Adams recognizes that the on-field struggles the team has experienced this season come from the players’ approach to the game, admitting they didn’t put in the necessary work to get the results they would have liked.

“It’s been a good learning year. We didn’t work as hard as we should have this year – obviously, it shows in our record,” he said, referencing the team’s current 1-18 season record. “I think going into next year people are realizing that we need to work a bit harder.”

Adams put himself at the top of the list of players that need to work harder, showing that leadership Haston referenced.

“Me, personally, I need to work on pitching. That’s my weakest spot,” Adams said as he evaluated his own ability to contribute to the team’s success next year after two of the Warriors’ starting pitchers graduate. “Off season, I need to get in the cages several times a week and start pitching lessons up again.”

Haston believes in the sophomore’s ability to help lead the team forward and said his never-give-up attitude will be something the team can count on.

“It doesn’t matter what position or situation you put him in, he is determined to compete,” Haston said. “Just last week, he threw one of the best games of the season and was at 100 pitches. We had to drag him off the mound.”

As for Adams, he doesn’t dwell on past games and hopes his teammates will only carry the lessons learned, not the emotions felt, with them into next season as well.

“We need to start looking forward,” he said, once again showing his leadership and wanting only the best for his team.