Pittsburg State University has been associated with sports for a very long time; in fact the various teams of the university are involved in different sports. The various athletic teams of this university, including the Pittsburg State Baseball team, are known as the Gorillas after the impressive looking mascot of the teams. The baseball team has had many ups and downs but it has ended the 2014 season with a loss. The main rival of this team is the Northwest Missouri State University; its team called the Bearcats handed the Gorillas a pair of losses. As a result, the Pitt State team finished the season 18-32. It also achieved 13-27 in the MIAA (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association).
Matt Murray is the head coach of the Pittsburg State baseball team at present. He had taken over the job in 2012 following the retirement of Steve Bever. Murray has an excellent track record as a coach, having been very successful at his stint with the University of Central Missouri as the assistant baseball coach for the Mules. He also held the important post of recruitment co-ordinator of the UCM Mules during this period.
The Pittsburg State University sports program put a lot of emphasis on nurturing talent. Not only is the university able to attract students who have the potential to be good at baseball, but it also able to groom them into extremely successful players. It’s believed that talent can’t be taught, which is why the university tries to find those with natural talent. With talent like that, it can be developed upon through training and by finding the best equipment, such as some top rated batting gloves for example, to give the player the best chance of becoming successful. With new players growing within the sport, and players changing every now again much like a fantasy baseball team, they help to build a good track record and throw their best into winning and making the team successful. Here, athletes are also encouraged to do well in academics. In fact, many baseball players from this university are selected for the prestigious Capital One Academic All-American program on the basis of their athletic and academic performance.
Much of the Pittsburg Gorilla’s successes on the baseball field are on account of the intensive training the members receive. The college organizes baseball camps for teenagers and also for small kids. These camps provide kids with a wonderful opportunity to learn the sport and develop an interest in athletics. The coaching takes place in the Gorilla’s home stadium, Al Ortolani Field or in the Bicknell Sports Complex in the University campus. These camps are generally very well-organized events and lots of local kids sign up for them. Kids who attend these camps are placed in teams based upon their age and level of skill. Coaching camps for older kids include live games and ‘pro style’ tryouts. The evaluation that players receive after the camp will help them get ahead in the sport of their choice.
The Pittsburg State Baseball team gets a great deal of support not just from the students of the university but also from local residents. There is a whole community of residents that really support the baseball team. Some of them even have sectional flagpoles on their homes that will often be flying The Pittsburg State Baseball team flag when they have games scheduled. That sort of community support can encourage players to perform even better, so it’s appreciated. The university’s sports program receives quite a bit of funding from local patrons in addition to the money it earns from ticket and merchandise sales. As a result, there is plenty of fuel for the university’s baseball efforts and this has a positive result on its overall performance. Students and local residents alike queue up to watch the Gorillas take on their opponents on account of the overwhelming support that the team enjoys.
