“Baseball is filled with one on one matchups that you can either win or lose,” junior Liam Huddleston said. “This makes it very easy to blame one specific player when a mistake is made.”

For the junior center field, this is what accountability on the pitch means. Huddleston began his baseball career hitting off a tee at the age of three, and since then, has racked up 13 years of experience, eventually leading him to join the boys’ varsity baseball team as a freshman.

Over time, he faced both exhilarating victories and challenging losses. Specifically, Huddleston recalls a game against a rival team that highlighted the importance of accountability in baseball. “I had three balls hit to me that game and couldn’t make a play on any of them,” he said. “I was taken out of the game, and our team lost by three wins. It felt like if I hadn’t made those mistakes, our team would have won.”

From this experience, Huddleston developed a sense of accountability and has taken the time to learn how to play under pressure. No matter what part of the game it is, Huddleston has routines he consistently practices to hold accountability for not just himself but the rest of the team as well. Before he even steps onto the pitch, Huddleston listens to music and visualizes his success on the field.

However, when an unexpected turn of events occurs, and the game doesn’t go Huddleston’s way, he zones in and takes each play action by action: “When I’m not playing well, I always try to focus on the next at-bat or play instead of getting caught up in my previous mistakes,” he said.

Even when the game is over, Huddleston’s principles of accountability still apply. During practice, he looks to coaches and teammates to help hold him and others accountable. To him, the coaches keep the entire team on track and focused, especially in the form of running extra laps between the poles on the pitch. On the other hand, Huddleston’s teammates make sure that everyone also enjoys themselves while still working hard. “I think that my teammates and I support each other by making jokes and staying relaxed so we play loose during games,” he said.

Stepping off the pitch, Huddleston has used his developed sense of accountability and translated it into his everyday life. “Baseball has taught me the importance of staying calm and confident during stressful, high-pressure situations on and off the field.”

The boys’ varsity baseball team’s next game is at Breck tommorow, May 3rd, at 4:30 p.m.