There is nothing like a college baseball game atmosphere! What most people don’t see is the preparation that goes into a typical “game day” as a collegiate player. Find out below what it’s like to arrive at the field six hours before opening pitch.

1:00- Pregame Meal

You are about to compete in a 3-hour game followed by recovery and preparation for the next day. What you put in your body before and after will play a large role in how you perform in your opportunities.

2:30- Early Work

This is the time each individual player takes to make sure he does what he needs to do to feel ready. Everyone needs different things to feel prepared and this is the time to take care of that. Some guys need cage work, others need extra time to stretch, whatever it is this is when you do it.

3:30- Stretching and Warm-up

You are going to push yourself to the limit for the next 3-4 hours and stretch time is much needed. This is the time to take your body seriously. You are no good to your team with a pulled hamstring or other injury. If you’re not careful, stretching can often turn into social hour where you simply go through the motions. You should really focus on getting your body ready for the battle ahead.

3:50- Base running

Base running is one of the most crucial and ignored aspects of the college game. Teams that run the bases well can separate themselves from the rest. You should be working towards the little things. Cutting down times on the base paths can convert into wins.

4:20- Catch and get arm loose

It is very easy to go through the motions while playing catch, but what separates the good player from the great player is attention to details, and there is no more important time to be focused than playing catch. It is the single most important aspect of your defensive work. This is a good time for a position player to focus on his footwork, getting the ball out of his glove, or even position specific throws.

4:45- Batting Practice

During a college batting practice, there are many moving parts. The hitters are broken up into groups. Most times, there is one group hitting on the field, one group on defense, one group at a bunting station and one group in the cages. At these stations, there are few coaches, so it is up to you and your teammates to hold each other accountable and prepare for the game. This is the time you take to get both mentally and physically ready to play that day.

6:00- R and R

Take a few minutes and relax and get mentally locked in for the game. Maybe have a small snack and finish off getting your body prepared to go to battle!

7:00 – Game time!