Interview with SHS Baseball Player Ian Pennington

Welcome back to the Spring Edition of Off the Reels! This week, I interviewed one of Springboro’s best from the diamond. 

Meet Springboro High School Baseball Outfielder (and recent graduate) Ian Pennington…

Baseball Story:

Ian started playing baseball as soon as he was old enough to pick up a bat. His dad introduced him to baseball, basketball, and football, but baseball ended up being his favorite and was the sport he chose to keep playing. He played for the Panthers for his entire high school career, playing any positions in the outfield including his favorite position: Centerfield. 

Ian’s favorite pro baseball team:

Ian’s favorite professional team is our hometown team: the Cincinnati Reds!

Pro player Ian looks up to:

Growing up in southwest Ohio as a Reds fan and a baseball player meant that Ian went to a lot of Reds games through the years. One of his favorite players to watch is Joey Votto. Ian really admired Votto’s game and said, “his approach at the plate is something I try to model.”

The most rewarding thing about playing baseball for the Panthers:

When you play on a team for several years, it is inevitable that you give to the team and the team gives back to you. On this note, I asked Ian what was most rewarding about playing baseball at SHS. His immediate answer was a reflection on the community and the relationships forged on the diamond. Ian noted that the coaches always looked out for the best interest of the players and that he had good teammates who made being on the team a lot of fun. Ian told me that the relationships he was able to form with his coaches and teammates over the past four years will reward him for years to come. 

Ian’s pre-game routine:

When Ian was a sophomore, he pulled his hip flexor in a game because he didn’t stretch very much. Consequently, stretching has become a vital part of Ian’s pre-game routine. He always gets to the field early to stretch. Then, he hits a few balls off the tee and does a little bit of batting practice with his coaches. Finally, Ian and his teammates do their normal warm-ups and get ready for their game. 

Ian’s most memorable game as a Panther:

At the end of his high school career and after some of the organization’s best seasons, I asked Ian of what game he had the best memories. It was this season in Florida during spring break. A close back-and-forth game with a Florida high school team ended in an 11-10 loss. Although they lost, the team played strong as the lead alternated from the Panthers to their opponents. This made the game a ton of fun, and it was even better because Ian hit his first high school home run!

What Ian is going to miss the most about playing for the Panthers:

Ian told me that he was really going to miss the chemistry between all of the players. After playing baseball for so many years and on multiple teams, Ian has been around several different groups of players, but he said that the Panthers this season had some of the best chemistry he had ever seen on a team and that everyone worked really well together. Ian also told me that he is going to miss the coaches after working under their guidance for so long. 

Ian’s plans after high school:

Ian just recently graduated from Springboro High School, and he will attend the University of Akron in the fall. He will be studying sales management and playing Division I baseball. In Ian’s words, “playing baseball up there will be cool...hopefully I can see how far that takes me.” Go Zips!!

Ian’s advice for baseball players:

Just this brief glimpse I’ve had into Ian’s baseball career has shown me that he works really hard for his team. And the memories he makes are just as important to him as the work. He advises other athletes to cherish their time playing the sport they love with the people they love. Ian said, “everybody says time flies and stuff, but it really does.”

Congratulations to the Panthers on a great season and
making it all the way to the District Championship this year! Best of luck to Ian in Akron!