We sat down with Zach Dillman, from the 15u Red team, to talk baseball and his experience playing with Inside Edge. He also shared great advice for younger players.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself–where do you go to high school, what do you enjoy doing when you’re not on the field, favorite band, car do you drive…all that not-baseball stuff.
A: I’m a freshman at Lee’s Summit West and I’m really just a pretty normal kid. I don’t have a favorite band…I like all kinds of music. If I’m not playing baseball, I like playing Xbox and basketball with my friends and just hanging out.
I don’t have a car, yet–I’m only 14, but I really want a Camero. I’ve wanted one since I was a little kid.
Q: Favorite food?
A: No question, it’s steak. I like hamburgers, too. And tacos.
Q: How long have you played for Inside Edge Baseball?
A: 2017 will be my second season playing with Inside Edge Baseball. I started with Coach Roder when the team first started, and I’ve really enjoyed every season. It’s been fun to watch a new team take shape.
Q: What positions do you play?
A: I’m a catcher, but I also play pitcher and infield. And, I love chasing down flyballs in the outfield. I guess I play all of the positions. When I first started playing baseball, I didn’t want to be limited to one position, so tried to learn all the positions. I really enjoy the challenge and time it takes to be ready to step into any position where the team needs me to play.
Q: What’s your best baseball moment?
A: Without a doubt, it was hitting a grand slam last season. Everyone dreams about getting up with bases loaded and seeing your perfect pitch thrown. That night, I saw a low inside fastball coming and knew it was gone as soon as I made contact. I’m normally not a fast guy but I was around second base before it cleared the fence. I was so pumped!
Winning the local MLB Jr. Home Run Derby was really cool, too. I qualified to compete in regionals, which were in Chicago. I finished 5th out of almost 600 other boys. I missed moving on to hit at the MLB All-star Game by 1 home run. That was pretty heartbreaking but it was also a good learning experience for me (don’t try to hit home runs into the Chicago wind!).
Q: Any advice for young IE players?
I’d say what my dad always says to me: have fun. Baseball is the hardest game to play. Hitting a baseball, throwing strikes, getting the footwork right on grounders; that’s all really hard to do. If you focus on having fun it all gets a lot easier and it keeps you from putting too much pressure on yourself. Having fun doesn’t mean being goofy or not playing with a purpose; it’s more about understanding that you will make errors and you will strike out and how you react when those things happen. The best thing about baseball is the fact that the next pitch is your next opportunity to do something good. Focus on that and play with a smile.
