Aaron Shiflet '18 Recruiting Profile

My father was relocated during my 9th grade year. Before that I was firmly entrenched in a great baseball program and had an outfield spot locked up as long as I did my job.  Now I was forced to deal with being the new kid in a tight-knit community.  I had to basically start from scratch. For whatever reason, during my freshman season,  I was not able to get as much playing time as I was accustomed to during the season.  My father has always taught me that if you want a starting spot, you have to be good enough where they are forced to play you.  Do not be marginal where money, nepotism, or favoritism can cost you a spot. This situation did not sit well with me as I thought I had accomplished that.  I made varsity my junior year and was told that I was going to start pitching. That was odd to me as I had never pitched one inning before in my life. I felt defeated at first but I embraced the chance to try something new to help the team. I was hooked. I was finally involved in every defensive play. I love the mental aspect of pitching and the competitive nature of it.  What I thought was a negative situation for me was actually a positive move for the team and myself.  This learning experience is why I will be an asset to the team.  I embraced the adversity, trusted the coaches, and found a new love for the game.

My goals are simple.  As far as baseball, I want get the most out of the time I have left to play this great game. I want to be an integral part of a passionate team that plays for a championship. I want the ball during that game, and I want a sleepless night before that game thinking about it.  Academically, I am looking forward to finding my niche course of study and committing to it. I want 4-5 years of the college life and I am in no rush to progress to the next stage of life until I have received my degree.

Take a chance on me, and I believe you will be glad you did.