Like many, the Pennridge Rams baseball team’s 2020 season was abruptly cut short due to the arising pandemic. However, this didn’t stop the team from continuing safe training sessions and competing in the summer league tournaments, where they dominated over the other teams.

     Up until the 2020 season Pennridge baseball was coached by Tom Nuneviller. Lead by Coach Nuneviller the team won their first district one championship and state championship since 1987 in 2018. Now coached by Craig Whitten the boys hope to do the same. Coach Whitten has a history of football and baseball. He played baseball since the age of five, played through high school, at the collegiate level at East Stroudsburg University, and briefly pitched for a semi-professional team. Along with his history of coaching baseball for six years now, Whitten also coaches football. When it comes to why he chooses to coach alongside his teaching career Whitten states, “The coaching came about because I like to be a kid, so what better way than to hangout with teenage kids and joke around with them to a point.”. Whitten instills in his team and players the importance of teamwork. The idea that one player is not better than the next, and everyone has room to improve. Senior captains for the 2021 season, Matt Dubyk, Carson Wells, Shea Grourke, Timmy Mastrogiovanni, and Bobby Croyle, set a great example of this quality. All five captains play different positions on the field and possess different important characteristics that are present at every practice. 

     While this upcoming 2021 spring season looks foggy, Coach Whitten strongly believes the players will play. In the months of November and December, the team has been preparing for the upcoming season. Coach Whitten would communicate via the mobile app, Remind. On this app he would send videos for the players to review and specific tasks to work on to make sure the boys can capitalize on every opportunity. The team currently practices about two to three times every week. From after school to early morning hits, the players and Coach Whitten are putting in the work to succeed this spring. Teams that are going to challenge Pennridge this year will be Souderton, North Penn, and Central Bucks South. 

      The restrictions and guidelines due to COVID-19 will be followed by all teams in the district, but especially Pennridge. Masks will be worn on the field and in the dugout while maintaining appropriate social distancing. The masks have made it challenging for Coach Whitten. He finds it hard to portray what he needs to say to his players with the mask but understands the need for them to play. As for spectators, the team plays at James Memorial Park on Ridge Road. The public park does not have official seating, so spectators can supply seating far enough away from the teams. 

       The team knows what it takes and how fast a season can change or be taken away. Pennridge baseball is prepared and hungry for the spring season ahead.