By Katie Woo, WolfPack Baseball Communications Specialist
The team captain of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack baseball team in Kamloops, Luc Simpson has high expectations of himself and his team for the upcoming year.
Simpson, of Aldergrove, was named the team captain by Ray Chadwick, head coach of the WolfPack baseball team. This is not a role he takes lightly.
Simpson remarks, "This year I'm trying to be a professional on and off the field."
As a leader, Luc strives to give younger players someone to look up to as he leads by example. Simpson explained how he wants to create lasting standards for him and his team.
"That's my goal: walk away with the guys in the right mindset for the next couple years."
Simpson is a player backed by experience. In high school, Simpson played for the Langley Blaze, a high performing team for the age group. Right out of high school he went to the States and played for Muscatine Community College in Iowa.
Unsatisfied, Simpson returned to Canada and found his more permanent home at TRU.
"I've known Ray for a while and he's a great coach. I liked coming to play for him."
Simpson speaks of the coaching staff and his teammates with pride: "It's a brotherhood. It's a family. You're welcomed even when you leave [school], you're here for years to come."
Experience is a commonality on the team this year for the 'Pack. With a strong returning core, Simpson has high hopes to end his veteran season as a member of the WolfPack.
"We have a really good core of guys. There's about eight or nine of us graduating guys. We all get along."
For Simpson and the WolfPack, the focus this year is winning a championship.
Simpson explains, "We're going to be really good this year. As long as we stay in it, work hard, stay disciplined and keep the wrong mind sets away from the field."
In the classroom, Simpson has been focused on a diploma on Architectural Engineering. However, after he graduates he wants to continue to play baseball.
"I want to pursue baseball. Go overseas, play some ball and travel."
WolfPack Takes Two From Okanagan College
The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack baseball team found Norbrock Stadium to be ‘home sweet home’ on Sunday (Sept. 21). The ‘Pack downed the Okanagan College Coyotes in a pair of games, winning the first game 5-4 and taking the second 4-2 to move to 10 wins and six defeats for the fall season.
In the first game Luc Simpson was two for four with a double, a triple and a run batted in. In the second game Luc Simpson was two for three with a double and John Young (Fort McMurray) was two for three with a double and two runs batted in.
The WolfPack head to Vancouver for four games against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds on Sept. 27-28.