Michael Jimenez/Contributing Writer
After a challenging past year, the Baseball Club is determined to improve their team and create a winning culture. David Weiss, Club President, is a senior at FIU and joined for the same reason many do: he loves of the sport. He said: “I joined the Baseball Club two years ago during my sophomore year at FIU. I joined because I love baseball. I love everything about it. All the guys on the team were friendly and provided great positive energy.”
Now, his love of the game has put him in a position to lead and coach the club for the upcoming year. He wants to see both the players and club grow next season and believes that it can happen.
So what does the club do? Weiss answered my question by saying: “We participate in two different leagues, the NCBA and the AUBL. The NCBA is where we play three game series every weekend against different universities. The AUBL is a local and very competitive league that we participate in. We try to play year round. We also do a lot of fundraisers such as car washes and baked goods sales. They’re a lot of fun when everyone participates.”
Asked what he would like to have happen next season, Weiss said that he wants to see more members join and commit to the club in the future. He commented: “We need more guys to commit to the team and guys that we can rely on. We are looking for people who are dedicated and love playing baseball. Anyone is welcome to join and we will work with you on improving your skills no matter what level you’re at.”
Weiss assures me that if new members are willing to put in the effort, their skills will improve regardless of previous experience. He added: “I want people to know that the club is really for anyone. We will work with you. The games are very competitive and we even have some rivalries with other teams like UM. A lot of our players have played college baseball somewhere else or at least have high school experience. We have learned a lot from each other. We all bring different experiences to the table and teach each other.”
Weiss is optimistic about the team’s upcoming season and believes that the team will be in good position to compete. When asked what some of the club’s goals are for the season Weiss stated:
“Some goals for next year include playing more games and having more fundraisers to reduce costs per player. We want to provide the best experience for every baseball player at FIU. We also want to reach the NCBA and AUBL playoffs. I believe we have a great shot. Our players are more experienced and know what the competition is.”
Weiss finished by summing up the experience of being a FIU Baseball Club member. He said, “Like I mentioned before, the Baseball Club is like a family. You make friends for life with everyone. We are almost like our own social fraternity except we are always playing baseball. It’s great!
The team emphasized that anyone is welcome to join the club. Those who want to join can email David Weiss at dweis039@fiu.edu or text/call him at 7864224810. He encourages others to support the club and follow them on instagram @fiuclubbaseball.