WINTER HAVEN – With more than 500 career wins to his name, Polk State Head Baseball Coach Al Corbeil has seen plenty of success on the field, but making players better people is also something he prides his program on.
On Oct. 24, Corbeil and eight players took time out of their fall schedule to volunteer with local youngsters. Polk State players spent their morning interacting with first-grade students at Brigham Academy.
"It was different, but enjoyable," freshman outfielder
Bradyn Potter said. "To have them look up to us was pretty neat."
During their visit, Polk State players read the book,
Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion. They also quizzed the students about the book and helped with a craft related to the story.
"I enjoyed how engaged and excited they were," sophomore outfielder
Zach Lester explained. "They really liked the activities. I hope they had fun."
Joining Potter and Lester on the trip were pitcher
Vincent Antuna, infielders
Josh Cruz,
Jack Muller and
Kenay Acevedo, outfielder
Carter Finnel and sophomore utility man
Kevin Brunet.
"They had a good time. I had a great time," Potter added. "To get to interact with college athletes, I'm sure, is a big deal to some of them."
With the start of the baseball season about three months away, community efforts have been a staple of the Polk State Athletics Department under
Randy Lee, Athletics Director. Polk State Basketball recently
read to students at Clarence Boswell Elementary School and Jere L. Stambaugh Middle School in Auburndale. Polk State Soccer players plan to volunteer at the American Heart Association's
Heart Walk event on Saturday at Joker Marchant Stadium.
"Obviously, we want to be successful on the field and help guys get to the next level of their playing and academic careers," Head Coach Al Corbeil said. "Being a student-athlete is more than just showing up to practice every day. It's about taking care of your obligations in the classroom, working hard and being visible in the community as well."
During his time at Lakeland Christian School, which serves students from kindergarten to high school, Lester said it wasn't unusual to interact with students in lower grades. He sees the value in the efforts.
"Something like this gets our program out in the community," Lester explained. "It lets them know that we support them. Hopefully, they'll support us as well. Being willing to give back shows who we are as a baseball program, but it also speaks to who Polk State is."
