By Nick Creely
FROM humble beginnings at Pakenham, rising baseball star Aidan Willis has certainly come a long way.
So much so, that the 16-year old will now represent Victoria Blue in the U18 national championships in Blacktown from 6-15 January 2017.
Willis, a product of the Berwick Cougars Baseball Club, was ecstatic at the chance to pull on the blue for his state.
“I found out about two weeks ago now – we’ve started training down in Altona already – I was stoked and it was just a good feeling to be chosen,” he said.
“I can’t wait to play with the boys, and see how far we can get – the side is strong, we have a few top-age guys.”
His journey started at a young age, and inspired by his dad, took up the game that he now believes can take him far.
“I started baseball with dad when I was about nine years old, mostly because I wanted to do something over the winter and I played cricket over the summer,” he said.
“I train about two days a week – from there on the other days, I’m just looking to work hard and get better.
“Batting and fielding are my two biggest strengths, and I’m a quick runner – I love watching Mike Trout, he is one of my favourites, because he plays the game hard and runs hard, and Bryce Harper as well; he just dominates and has a presence at the plate.
“I’d like to eventually make my way to college, and see how that goes, and I’ll do everything I can to make that happen.”
With the game ever-growing in the south-east, Willis believes it can only get stronger as more and more kids elect to try the game.
“The game is strong in this region and its growing- there’s a few charter baseball clubs like the Mariners, and I played with them last year, and we won in Geelong, and then went to Lismore for the nationals, and then on top of that, played in the Asia Pacific in the Philippines and then came second in the World Series,” Willis explained.
But a decision had to be made, and at the age of 14 years, elected to leave cricket and pursue his dream of making it is a baseballer.
“When I was about 14, I stopped playing cricket and chose baseball instead – cricket has giving me a foundation in baseball I guess – I was noticeably better at baseball and chose that,” he said.
“Anytime you do something wrong you have a chance to redeem yourself for the team, when I used to play cricket and you get out that’s it, so the game just has that excitement factor to it.”
