I spent the day following Flagler College baseball player, Frankie Martello, around as he walked me through his typical day. Included are some extra pictures that Martello enjoyed.
Flagler’s baseball players meet in the Flagler Gym for 5 a.m. workouts two to three times per week, depending on the season. “I dislike waking up early but overall when I’m finished I feel great,” said Frankie Martello, second baseman for the Saints.
“It’s kind of a given that we can’t be overweight, we just have to stay in shape for the season,” Martello said. Other Flagler Athletic teams also participate in mandatory early morning workouts in the Flagler Gym on different days.
Student athletes must maintain a 2.0 GPA to remain eligible to play on their respective sports teams, Martello said. Their class schedules must be worked around any practices or workouts that the team has to attend. After morning workouts, Martello, a sports management major, makes his way to campus to go to class.
“Usually in the fall semester I’ll take five classes, I’ll have a heavier load because we’re not in season,” said Martello. “In the spring I have to take one less class so it’s a little easier on me.”
Currently the Saints remain unranked with 39 players on the baseball team. “There’s starters and then back up players in case someone gets hurt,” said Martello. “We need a lot of pitchers, we can’t only carry 10 players.”
Last season, Flagler’s baseball team played 50 games, with a 30-20 record. The farthest the team has traveled together is to North Carolina, playing the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
In his third year playing for the Saints, Martello still enjoys the game just as much as he did when he first took up the sport. “It’s still fun, it’s still a fun game to me. I’ve been playing baseball for so long,” said Martello. “I enjoy working hard and working on my skills.”
Representing Flagler with his friends and teammates at Flagler’s home turf, Drysdale Field, is one of the perks of playing baseball in college, Martello said. “They’re my buddies, I love being on the field with them,” Martello said.
Outside of classes, morning workouts, practices and games, student athletes don’t have a lot of time for much else. Once home, Martello enjoys relaxing and watching Friends and Grey’s Anatomy, the TV series, with his roommates who are also on Flagler’s baseball team. “Between class and baseball, when I get home I usually have about four to six hours to do literally anything else, including homework and going to bed,” Martello said.
Another favorite past time of Martello’s is playing the guitar in the short period of time he has for other activities. “I first became interested in the guitar when I was in middle school,” said Martello. “I loved classic rock music and wanted to be able to play all those songs.” Of course, Martello’s love for the instrument doesn’t trump the time he gets to play America’s favorite pastime.
KYRA SHPORTUN 