By By Chandler Myers
For an athlete being the best in a specific position takes a lot of effort and hard work. Being the best overall entails an even tougher regiment of practice to put one’s self at the top of their game.
It requires countless hours of practice, mental preparation to ensure that that person is ready for the challenges that lie ahead and physical toughness to put the human body through the strain and toll that it will endure throughout the stretch of a season..
For Escambia Academy Cougars pitcher and shortstop Jeff Price, being the best also means having love for the game, a passion to play and also putting your life in God’s hands.
Price did all these things and more to make sure he did not lose a step when he transferred from Northview High School to Escambia Academy last fall.
All of that hard work has paid off and helped him become the Atmore Advance’s 2009 All-Area Baseball Player of the Year, which makes Price a back-to-back recipient of the honor.
Price said receiving the honor of Player of the Year is exciting because he was not sure if he would play at such a high level this year.
This season, while splitting time between the starting rotation and an infield position, Price was able to hit .390 with one home run, and he compiled a 7-3 record on the mound with a 1.86 ERA and 100 strikeouts.
With all of this success on the field, it would seem as Price was cool, calm and collected the entire time, but the truth is he was concerned how his season would play out.
The now graduate of Escambia Academy said he worried how his year would go after transferring schools. He added that he felt some pressure to show his talents so he could further his baseball career.
To make sure he was on top of his game, Price practiced harder than ever even if it meant working on his own time with out the rest of the Cougars baseball team.
He said he and one teammate would meet up and work on their hitting and throwing at various off times.
All of this hard work really took a toll on Price’s body that might cause some people to break down, but it only made him work harder.
Price said he had several times when his body would hurt and he would wish that he did not have to throw anymore.
Even the mental challenges of the game were tougher on Price this season because he took on a different role for the Cougars.
He said he became more of a leader this year because of the amount of youth on the team.
To help get him through all of the challenges he faced physically and mentally, Price looked past himself, coaches and teammates.
He said he relied much more on his faith than he had in the past. He added he would do it as much as he needed to whether it was before or even during a game.
Along with practicing his skills and his faith, the ace pitcher truly loves the game of baseball.
Price said the sport is just something that is always there for him and always gets his blood flowing or his senses tingling.
Now that he has completed his senior year, Price is moving on to a new chapter in his life and a new level of baseball.
The soon to be college pitcher is going to attend Huntingdon College in Montgomery where he hopes to show off his talents and get a good education.
Price said he is looking forward to college life and already know his major and minor.
As Price prepares to start his college life he said he will continue to look to his faith to make sure he makes it through the challenges that lie ahead.