Aiden Hoffmann '24 Recruiting Profile

One thing personally that has changed my life and shaped me into the person I am now is my baseball career. My love for the game started at 5 years old playing t-ball. Since then I have spent my spring and summers playing school and travel baseball. My travel teams have taken me throughout the Midwest and to a dream tournament in Cooperstown, New York. Throughout this time I have learned the following things: 

• Determination. Baseball is a sport of failure. The best players in the world only succeed 30% of the time. The 70% of failure is where you really get better as a player, learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward to get to the next play.

• Training.  Pouring hours and hours of time into offseason training and doing repetitive drills so I can be the best player I can be for the next season. While it might not be fun or enjoyable and there are times when you don’t want to do it; those are the moments when you realize how bad you want it.

• Friendships.  I have met some of my best friends playing baseball and we have created bonds that will last a lifetime. I am genuinely happy for them when they have success or do something good; knowing how much work they put into achieving their goals. 

• Team.  Baseball has also taught me how to work as a team and how to work for something bigger than myself. 

• Respect. In baseball you have to respect the coaches, players, officials – even if you might not agree with the call they make. I have also learned how to respect the game of baseball and cherish the beauty of the sport.

• Leadership.  Being a 2-time Varsity captain my junior and senior year has taught me that my actions are reflected not only on me but also on my family, teammates, coaches, school etc. It has also taught me how to lead by example and put in 110% everyday so the younger kids see how much work you have to put in. Everything I do is watched and seen, being a captain makes people hold you to a higher standard not only on the baseball field but also in the classroom. 

At the end of the day baseball has done so much for me on the field, but done so much more for me off the field.  It has given me the important things above to be the best man possible.