A leader for the undefeated baseball Rocks, senior Ethan Hodge has signed with Xavier.  He answered a few questions about his years as a Trinity student-athlete.

Q: Describe the role that you play as a senior on Trinity’s baseball team.

A: As a senior, having leadership qualities is very important. My position in the field is shortstop, basically the leader on the field. I must have a great deal of communication with the team.

Q: What needs to happen as a team to bring home Trinity’s first state championship in baseball? 

A: Our team must come together and play as one. We must all be on the same page. This means everyone understanding their roles on the team, staying focused every day of practice and games, and playing for the team.

Q: How has being an early commit to Xavier affected your performance on the field?  

A: Committing early can put a lot of pressure on a player, but it is all in my control. I can control how things go through my work ethic and attitude. When things go bad, I always tell myself just get back to work. Being an early college commit only helped get me motivated even more.

Q: What are you looking to improve on as you play your last high school season and begin to prepare for the next level?

A: Never settle. I am always thinking of ways I can improve my game. Baseball is a mental test. I could easily improve my mental side of the game. The game of baseball can really mess with your head, but only if you let it. I ask myself how I can work around these mental tests every day. Getting reps with hitting and fielding is important every day if you are wanting to be good in the game of baseball. You get out the work you put in.

Q: How has baseball changed for you since you played as a child?

A: The game of baseball is always changing. It is sad to say this, but it is a business now. Players chase the money and fame instead of the fun and love for the game.

Q: What impact has sports had on your life overall?

A: Sports are a very big deal to me. You learn a lot about yourself with sports. You learn how to handle certain situations that you could easily be faced with in life. Life isn’t easy, and you will face many challenges. But it is all about how you react and handle the situations maturely.