The lights turn on, the grass is freshly cut, the dirt is just wet. The cool, crisp spring air is breezing through the diamond. #22 sophomore Colbin Holmes is ready to play.

Holmes is on the varsity baseball team. He’s the starting second baseman for the Lions and was often designated hitter. 

“I felt a little overwhelmed at first,” Holmes said. “Over time I grew to love the team and created a bond [with them], then I started playing with a newfound confidence, I was able to slow the game down [for myself] and play the way I wanted to.”

Next season, Holmes said he wants to become “stronger, faster and be the Shortstop.” Over the season he said that his confidence went up and he can finally express his true self.

“I feel like my persona is a little more confident,” Holmes said. “ I really got to express myself on the field. That was really important to me as a person. As I got more comfortable I was able to show the team who I really was.”

From late tournaments, to long practices, to the early weight rooms and the team dinners, the team was together everyday. Because of that, Holmes said the team developed a strong bond. 

“The tournaments were really fun,” Holmes said. “But also vital for developing a bond with the team because we’re skipping school and spending [days] together as a group.”

Holmes has been playing baseball since he was eight, through the years he’s made important memories that remind him why he plays that sport at such a high level. Holmes said he’s “made big plays” at the high school level and has been since he was a kid.

“My favorite memory from this season was last game [against Lockhart, April 29] when I got a double, [when the hitter reaches second base on a hit] that was really special to me. When I was a kid, my favorite memory was hitting a homerun at Cooperstown, New York. It felt really cool because the fence was short and the ball flew over the fence.”