LEWISBURG, W.Va. (WVDN) – Gavin Bennett, a junior baseball and football player at Greenbrier East is a man of few words, but his play on the field speaks loudly.
Bennett, a quarterback in football, and an infielder/pitcher on the green diamond, is enjoying a successful junior year for the Spartans. Even though East has had their ups and downs, and Bennett and his teammates too, he is determined with a few fixes here and there, his team can make the run in the postseason that they had planned at the beginning of the year. Last week, Bennett had a walk-off hit in the tenth inning to beat Shady Spring, and that could jump start a nice run.
“We need to get the mental side of baseball and keep our heads up when things aren’t going our way,” Bennett said.
Bennett knows a lot about the mental side of sports and how not to get down on himself. Playing football, with all the fast action play after play, has helped him with that part of the game on the baseball field too.
“Being a quarterback helps a lot on the baseball field with being a leader,” he stated.
Playing football for coach Ray Lee has helped Bennett in numerous ways on and off the field, and playing for baseball head coach Cory Mann has done the same thing with too many positives to remember.
“There are too many things to say about what I have learned from coach Mann, but the few things that stick out the most are how to be a better person and an all-around better player,” Bennett explained.
Another thing that helps Bennett on the field is his family bloodlines to the sport. His dad, Heath, and his uncles, Chris, and Travis were all very productive players for the Spartans, and his whole family continues to support him each game.
“My family is a huge impact in my career by being a huge support system and always pushing me to be a better athlete,” Bennett said.
The family pipeline also possibly played a factor in Bennett’s skills. He is a good hitter, defensive fielder, and pitcher, but one of those sticks out to him a little more than the others.
“I like them all, but I would have to say pitching,” he answered when asked what spot his favorite was.
If Bennett had the chance to go strutting around Hollywood, it would be because of his big break of being in the major leagues.
“For sure a professional baseball player,” he said when presented with a what kind of celebrity would you be question.
With Bennett still dreaming large and still being just a junior, it is tough not to look ahead to that coveted senior year. However, Bennett sees big things on his senior horizon.
“Undefeated season and win a state championship,” he concluded confidently.
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