Reporter:The NYCBL or New York Collegiate Baseball League allows current and incoming college students to showcase their talent and in front of scouts and gives them a look at different competition. JJ Potrikus, the President of the Syracuse Spartans says the NYCBL is about way more than just baseball.
JJ Potrikus – Preisdent Syracuse Spartans:Every team that is in the NYCBL is a non-profit. So, we give back to the community and we’re really just trying to create a better brand of baseball or give these kids an opportunity to play.
Reporter: A lot of collegiate athletes use the summer to rest or develop in other ways, but these kids have traveled across the country to be a part of the Spartan family.
Potrikus: We have players from all over the country. So, we got a guy from California, actually two of them this year. Coaching staff from California. We have Colorado, Texas, Mississippi, Massachusetts, New Jersey, all over New York State. Um, Florida all up and down the East Coast, a few Midwest boys as well too. So, this is our third year in the league, but it’s the first year that we’ve really like spread the map.”
Reporter:
Because the Spartans are a non-profit organization, it truly takes a community wide effort for them to be successful. One of the key contributors is JJ’s mom.
Potrikus: She is a true Spartan. Like the definition of a Spartan. She has run into things, stubbed her toe, fallen over, you know just gets back up, and sort of just keeps on working.
Reporter:
The Spartans have also given back to a local high school by revitalizing the baseball field at Lafayette High school and will host six of its games at Lafayette.
Potrikus: We really wanted to get a chance to come down and give back to a baseball community, a different baseball community that we haven’t been a part of before.
Reporter: Players and coaches have been spending part of the last week and half getting things prepared for the home opener at Lafayette.
Potrikus: Literally put a ton of sweat effort, you know, maybe a little bit of blood once or twice. Into the batting cages here, so we’ve revamped the batting cages with a nice windscreen and batter’s eye behind it. Threw a little Spartans logo on it as well. Temporary fence over here, which played an instrumental role in one of the plays today, a home run.
Reporter: Potrikus says he has already heard good things about the work the Spartans have done.
Potrikus: And we think the Lafayette baseball program is going to benefit from that. The varsity coach and his team was out here, they’re absolutely just thrilled with the way it looks.
The New York Collegiate Baseball League is a summer baseball league that gives college students from around the country the opportunity to gain experience, get exposure, and play against different competition.
JJ Potrikus, the president of the Syracuse Spartans, said the NYCBL is all about giving this college kids the opportunity to give back to the community and to most importantly, just have fun.
“Every team that is in the NYCBL is a non-profit,” said Potrikus. “So, we give back to the community and we’re really just trying to create a better brand of baseball or give these kids an opportunity to play.”
The Spartans roster is composed of players from all across the country. The Spartans give players the option to pay for housing and stay in dorms at Onondaga Community College (OCC), or they stay with host families. Potrikus said every since the Spartans joined the NYCBL in 2017, they have been using host families and it is something the organization wants to continue.
The Spartans have also given back to a local high school. The team has helped revitalize the baseball field at Lafayette High School.
“We really wanted to get a chance to come down and give back to a baseball community, a different baseball community that we haven’t been a part of before,” said Potrikus.
Players and coaches spent a little over a week trying to get the field prepared to host its first of six Spartans games this season.
“Literally put a ton of sweat effort, you know, maybe a little bit of blood once or twice,” said Potrikus. “Into the batting cages here, so we’ve revamped the batting cages with a nice windscreen and batter’s eye behind it. Threw a little Spartans logo on it as well. Temporary fence over here, which played an instrumental role in one of the plays today, a home run.”
Potrikus said the baseball coach and players at Lafayette are satisfied with the improve field.
“And we think the Lafayette baseball program is going to benefit from that,” said Potrikus. The varsity coach and his team was out here, they’re absolutely just thrilled with the way it looks.
The Spartans plan to continue to go out in to the community and give these young men the opportunity to grow and learn from each other.
