March 29, 2005

With 25 games left in the baseball season, senior Aaron Flowers (Rowlett, TX/Northeast Texas C.C.) is hoping for a strong push that will get the team back on the winning track.

The Broncs are currently 9-19 on the season, and have been on what seems to be a rollercoaster ride of wins and losses. From nine-run come from behind victories to offensive struggles and shutout losses, the team is ready to leave the upsets behind and move forward.

Despite the ups and downs, Flowers is hopeful that a turn around is within the team's reach. With a recent 5-4 win over Texas A&M - Corpus Christi (Mar. 22) he feels the team is ready to build off of the victory.

"We are coming off a rival win against Corpus and hopefully we can use the momentum to spark us in our next series. We still have four or five teams on the schedule this season that are top-ranked teams. There is still a lot of time for this team to make some noise," said Flowers. Flowers himself has made some noise this season offensively as well as handling responsibilities in the infield. While he has spent some time covering the bag at second, Flowers primary responsibilities have come at the shortstop position.

"Playing shortstop is a big task in the infield. I like the challenge of fielding, and being so involved. It's so much different than playing second because you don't have as much time to make a throw, you have to speed things up to make every play," stated Flowers.

Offensively, Flowers is currently batting .284, and has been consistently in the top of the line up, including taking the role of lead-off hitter in the team's last several games.

"Leading off is tough. I would really rather watch Louie Alamia (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg North H.S.) take the first pitches and foul off 15 balls so that I can see what the pitcher has in him. When you're leading, you are literally the guinea pig while if you are down the line up a spots, you can evaluate things better," Flowers said.

Not only does he have big responsibilities on the field and at-bat, Flowers also takes an active role in ensuring that the team is improving. In his senior year, he has felt it is important for him to pass on as much experience as he has to the underclassmen on the team.

"I've felt my role this season was to be a leader, and be vocal as well as an example to my teammates. They need to understand how hard you have to work to be successful on a team. I try to remind them to do all the little things that will make them that much better in the long run," he commented.

The 2005 season has reached the mid-point, and Flowers is slightly disappointed with how the season has played out. However, he is very hopeful for what the team has in store as the season proceeds.

"I feel like my performance thus far has been average, but there is always room for improvement. We've shown moments of brilliance like when we beat Arizona, but to be consistent for the remainder of our games, we need to play with a little more heart and desire. I've been told on several occasions that baseball is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical. It's very true, and we need to mentally focus and start turning some of our close losses into wins," Flowers said.

While this is his final season here at UTPA, Flowers claims to have learned so much from his baseball experience, and also has created some unforgettable moments. His career has been highlighted by a grand-slam home run against Lamar (Feb. 12, 2005) and a two-game series sweep for the Broncs over College World Series-participants Arkansas last season.

"I've had some really good moments throughout my career. I've learned how to be a leader, work within the team aspect, and how to dedicate myself to something. I've had a great experience individually as well as with the team," stated Flowers.

Flowers credits his success in the sport to his father and the constant support his family has shown him in his tenure as a baseball player. With the support of his family, Flowers has taken his passion of the game of baseball and turned it into a successful collegiate career.

"My dad had me swinging a bat when I was four years old, and here I am 18 years later still swinging. He was my first coach, and introduced me to the game. There have been so many who have helped me a long the way, but he has always been my greatest supporter," said Flowers.

Starting at Northeast Texas Community College, Flowers was excited about the opportunity to come to UTPA, and continue participation in the sport that he has transformed into his lifestyle.

"There's no better opportunity than to play Division I baseball, and receive a scholarship to help get you through school. UTPA has given me the chance to do that," commented Flowers.

However, the opportunity didn't come without its challenges. Playing 56-plus games a season while maintaining all the academic standards required has become more time consuming than what the normal college student would experience.

"We travel a lot during the week and miss a lot of classes. It really forces me to be on top of my school work. Being part of the team is like being on call for a job 24 hours a day. Between classes, practice, games and other obligations that come along with being on the team you have to make the most of the free time you do have. Regardless of how big the commitment, I don't have any regret and couldn't have seen it played out any other way" Flowers concluded.

With his efforts on and off the field, his drive for success will be something the team will feed off for the remainder of the season. With Flowers leading the force, the team will strive to move beyond the peaks and valleys of the season, and take advantage of every opportunity that remains to finish on the winning track.

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