Greenbrier West utility baseball player (shortstop, pitcher) Chase McClung will play baseball for the Concord Mountain Lions next spring after signing his national letter of intent.
McClung, who has played baseball since he was four years old, will major in health science and minor in business in his four years in Athens.
Baseball has always been a passion for the former Cavalier, and the game is his escape from everyday life.
“It’s always been a place to go take my mind off other things,” McClung said.
McClung had a pretty good feeling Concord would be his future home since he is big on family, and the school had a familial feeling to it.
“I chose Concord because when I got there for tour, it was so welcoming. They were like a family, and I could see that when I arrived for a visit from the coaches to the staff that work there,” McClung said.
“I had a few other colleges interested in me such as Bluefield, Glenville and Alderson Broaddus. I don’t really have a school that finished second. I was set on Concord, but the other schools were also great,” he said.
Getting ready to step in at the next level should be a seamless transition thanks to the incredible coaching he has had in his career, and those coaches are people he is very passionate about.
“I have been prepared by my coaches for the next level on and off the field,” McClung stated. “My dad took over the program this year and he has taught me to work hard and that will get you further than talent. My assistant coach Mike Goddard has been one of my biggest supporters since I was four years old, and he has done it all from sitting in the hospital with me to running on the field to hug me after a big game. He has taught me to be there for the people you are close to.
“Coach Price just got here but he is one of the coolest guys I’ve met, and I can’t thank him enough for what he did for me. Coach Osborne has taught me sometimes life is hard but there’s no reason to quit. All of my coaches have prepared me to the best of their ability for the next level and I love and thank them all,” McClung said with a smile.
While McClung will not be a student at Greenbrier West anymore, he definitely will keep the place close to his heart.
“What I’ll miss most about Greenbrier West baseball is the family, just how we had a bond that couldn’t be broken. Those guys will be my family for the rest of my life. My favorite memory is to be able to take the field with my brother, Braydon McClung, and my dad, Matt McClung, my senior year,” McClung said.
Concord fans will love the positivity McClung brings, and all he wants to do is prove his worth at the college level.
“Concord may not be getting the most talented kid or the most athletic, but they will get one of the hardest workers they have ever had. I will work my butt off for the role they give me, and I will continue to do so until my career comes to an end,” McClung said.
