AUBURN - Buried in the caverns of the Auburn High School basement, varsity baseball coach T.J. Gamba tosses batting practice inside a makeshift batting cage.
The room is a glorified crawl space, with just enough room to play soft toss on the opposite side of the cage.
Despite the tight confines, the energy in the room is palpable. Fifteen to 20 boys cycle in and out of the cage, each digging in like it's Game 7 of the World Series.
Each player is focused and each is willing to learn.
Not bad for the day after Christmas.
Their baseball field remains under the cover of snow, but that doesn't mean the Auburn baseball team is taking a season off. Gamba and assistant coach Tom Napoli conduct workouts three to four times per week during the winter for players in grades nine through 12.
Each practice is voluntary, but the turnout remains high.
“We're starting right now to get the arms ready in time for tryouts,” Gamba said. “I feel a responsibility to get them in shape and keep them ready.”
On this particular day, Auburn native and former major leaguer Kevin Polcovich joined the kids for the workout. Polcovich, who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1997 and 1998, worked with each player individually outside the batting cage.
“For me, it was such a struggle to get to the big leagues,” Polcovich said. “I wasn't physically gifted - I was 5-8 and not particularly strong. Hard work can get you a long way - that's what I want to show these kids.”
Nothing came easy for him. Polcovich had to walk on to a junior college team in Florida before earning a full ride to play at the University of Florida. He also spent five years in the minor leagues before playing shortstop for the Pirates.
It's for these reasons that Napoli calls Polcovich “the hardest working kid I've ever met in my life.”
For Gamba, having his players pick the brain of a major leaguer is a coach's dream. He appreciates the knowledge they'll gain, but he also wants his guys to just be around Polcovich and see what a stand-up person he's become.
“When you're around Polc you realize it takes a little perseverance,” Gamba said. “He was always told he was too small, or too slow, or that he couldn't hit a curve ball. And look what he does - he goes out there and proves everyone wrong. And not only that, he comes back and gives to our community. He's a great husband and has raised a beautiful son. It's not hard to take a step back and see what a positive influence he's become. He's just fun to be around.”
Each offseason workout begins with batting practice and soft toss, then the players move up to the gym to take ground balls.
Gamba said the pitchers will start to play long toss this week.
With colleges also in the midst of winter break, a few Auburn graduates returned to their old stomping grounds. Ryan Gleason, who played last season for the Maroons, and Zach Prentice, a 2006 grad, joined the team on this day to get some extra work in the cage and to pick up some tips from Polcovich.
And teaching isn't that foreign for the former big leaguer.
Since stepping away from the game three years ago, Polcovich has helped create a business that trains athletes. Sports Impact is based out of his home state of Oklahoma and it gives Polcovich an opportunity to teach baseball players of all ages.
“It's a natural feeling for me,” he said. “When I left the game I still had all this knowledge to pass on. The challenge is communicating. So whether I'm working with a 6-year-old or an 18-year-old, it's a challenge. It's something I enjoy.”
Gamba can already see the mentality changing throughout the program. Baseball has become a year-round activity for many of the players and it's Gamba's hope that this enthusiasm will transfer to the field.
“We practiced every day this summer except for two days,” he said. “I gave them the Fourth of July off and it rained two other days. But on the Fourth I've got guys calling me, wondering why we're not practicing ... These workouts are voluntary and the kids have a lot of fun, but they're serious when it comes to baseball. They're committed.”
Despite the tight confines, the energy in the room is palpable. Fifteen to 20 boys cycle in and out of the cage, each digging in like it's Game 7 of the World Series.
Each player is focused and each is willing to learn.
Not bad for the day after Christmas.
Their baseball field remains under the cover of snow, but that doesn't mean the Auburn baseball team is taking a season off. Gamba and assistant coach Tom Napoli conduct workouts three to four times per week during the winter for players in grades nine through 12.
Each practice is voluntary, but the turnout remains high.
“We're starting right now to get the arms ready in time for tryouts,” Gamba said. “I feel a responsibility to get them in shape and keep them ready.”
On this particular day, Auburn native and former major leaguer Kevin Polcovich joined the kids for the workout. Polcovich, who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1997 and 1998, worked with each player individually outside the batting cage.
“For me, it was such a struggle to get to the big leagues,” Polcovich said. “I wasn't physically gifted - I was 5-8 and not particularly strong. Hard work can get you a long way - that's what I want to show these kids.”
Nothing came easy for him. Polcovich had to walk on to a junior college team in Florida before earning a full ride to play at the University of Florida. He also spent five years in the minor leagues before playing shortstop for the Pirates.
It's for these reasons that Napoli calls Polcovich “the hardest working kid I've ever met in my life.”
For Gamba, having his players pick the brain of a major leaguer is a coach's dream. He appreciates the knowledge they'll gain, but he also wants his guys to just be around Polcovich and see what a stand-up person he's become.
“When you're around Polc you realize it takes a little perseverance,” Gamba said. “He was always told he was too small, or too slow, or that he couldn't hit a curve ball. And look what he does - he goes out there and proves everyone wrong. And not only that, he comes back and gives to our community. He's a great husband and has raised a beautiful son. It's not hard to take a step back and see what a positive influence he's become. He's just fun to be around.”
Each offseason workout begins with batting practice and soft toss, then the players move up to the gym to take ground balls.
Gamba said the pitchers will start to play long toss this week.
With colleges also in the midst of winter break, a few Auburn graduates returned to their old stomping grounds. Ryan Gleason, who played last season for the Maroons, and Zach Prentice, a 2006 grad, joined the team on this day to get some extra work in the cage and to pick up some tips from Polcovich.
And teaching isn't that foreign for the former big leaguer.
Since stepping away from the game three years ago, Polcovich has helped create a business that trains athletes. Sports Impact is based out of his home state of Oklahoma and it gives Polcovich an opportunity to teach baseball players of all ages.
“It's a natural feeling for me,” he said. “When I left the game I still had all this knowledge to pass on. The challenge is communicating. So whether I'm working with a 6-year-old or an 18-year-old, it's a challenge. It's something I enjoy.”
Gamba can already see the mentality changing throughout the program. Baseball has become a year-round activity for many of the players and it's Gamba's hope that this enthusiasm will transfer to the field.
“We practiced every day this summer except for two days,” he said. “I gave them the Fourth of July off and it rained two other days. But on the Fourth I've got guys calling me, wondering why we're not practicing ... These workouts are voluntary and the kids have a lot of fun, but they're serious when it comes to baseball. They're committed.”
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