Senior Spotlight: Five Questions with Tyler Bell

New Paltz athletic communications intern Ava Yurchison caught up with senior Tyler Bell of the New Paltz baseball team for the week 19 release of the 2015-16 Senior Spotlight series that will have a new senior interviewed every Monday.

Q: Who inspires you to be the player that you are?
A: "My parents. My dad has taught me everything I know about baseball since I was 3 years old. My dad has definitely taught me a lot, and it keeps us close together. My mom is a huge baseball fan, too."

Q: Can you elaborate on a distinct memory playing baseball?
A: "I was playing coach pitch—you know, when the coach pitches to you—way back in the day. This is a weird story. A kid hit a ground ball, and usually, there is a kid who stands next to the coach who is the real pitcher there to act as if they are playing the position. And a kid hit a ground ball and it went up the kid's shirt, and he couldn't find it. The ball was caught in his shirt. It was so funny! That is a story that definitely stuck with me."

Q: Do you have any game day rituals or preparations?
A: "I usually text my dad before the game. He'll just remind me if I was doing something wrong previously and remind me to fix that. Other than that, I'm not really superstitious. I try not to be because I think it gets in your head and gets in the way of your performance. I just usually talk to my dad before the game."

Q: Can you elaborate on your time playing as a Hawk compared to as a Suffolk Shark?
A: "Playing at a community college is definitely different. You just go home after practice to your house with your family; you're not around your friends anymore. You're close during the season, and after, it is just not the same. I would only see a couple of them outside of baseball. Here, we are all pretty close. I hang out with a lot of the guys often. The main difference I would say is the friendships."

Q: How have you been a leader on your team?
A: "On the field, I like to lead by example. I like to think that I am pretty mature and keep my composure as well as I can. I think that is something that the younger guys can look up to. I try to be a role model for them. Off the field, if anyone needs anything, I will definitely help them out. I welcome the new guys because I was a transfer and I remember the older guys welcomed me in, which made me feel comfortable."

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Players Mentioned

#24 Tyler Bell: C; 5' 7"; Junior; L/R

Players Mentioned

#24 Tyler Bell
: 5' 7"; Junior; L/R
: C

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Players Mentioned

#24 Tyler Bell

Players Mentioned

#24 Tyler Bell