Untold Athletes: Jack Lynch – Baseball

Jack Lynch is a senior shortstop and is a native of Trumbull, Conn. Lynch is majoring in business administration with a concentration in management. This past summer, Lynch played in the Connecticut Collegiate Baseball League and was named to the all-league team. He was originally signed to play in the prestigious Coastal Plains League, but that opportunity was cancelled due to COVID-19.

One of my earliest baseball memories is swinging a wiffle ball bat with my mom and dad in the backyard. I just remember how excited I was at five-years old to finally go play T ball with the rest of my friends. There was always just something about the feeling of squaring a ball up or making a nice play that kept on bringing me back to the field. I would always tell my teachers on career day in elementary school how I wanted to become a college baseball player and play shortstop for the New York Yankees. Those early days of running around throwing and hitting with my friends were really when baseball became a passion for me.

This game means everything to me because there is no better sport to get you ready for life than baseball. This game is built on so much failure and it teaches you at a young age how to deal with adversity. It is inevitable that you will strike out in life just as many times as you strike out on the field. You can either feel sorry for yourself and make excuses or you can learn from your mistakes and take advantage of the next opportunity. You’re always going to get another at bat. I am so grateful that I get to play this game because it continues to teach me so much about myself and about others.

 Many people assume all college athletes were the stars of their high school teams, but my story is very different. I spent most of my time in high school sitting and watching others play over me whether it was on the basketball court or on the baseball field. When I finally did get my chance to play consistently during my senior year, I never made an all-conference team or received any real recognition. I never even played short stop because I was always told I was too tall and would never be able to play the position at the next level. I wasn’t highly recruited, and Ithaca was really my only solid option to play baseball at. All of this doubt really fueled me to prove people wrong and Ithaca ended up being the best fit for me to continue to grow and develop as a person and a player. I can’t thank Coach Val and my teammates enough for believing in me and letting me live out my dream.

I have been the underdog my whole life and that has made me resilient. To this day, it continues to motivate me to be the best person and player I can be. I believe that anything in life is possible with a detailed plan, a strong work ethic and a belief that you control your own destiny. I wake up every morning with a desire to better myself both as a person and as an athlete. My goal is to play professional baseball and I will keep working until that dream is realized.

My biggest role models are mom and dad. Without them and the rest of my friends and family, I would not be where I am today. They have taught me how to deal with adversity and support every decision I make. There were times where I thought about walking away from baseball, but they always reminded me why I played and what my goals were. Through good and bad times, they had my back no matter what and I can’t thank them enough for that.