Senior Salute: Travis McSweeney

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By Travis McSweeney
May 10, 2010
Filed under Pioneer Staff, Spotlights

Four years at Catawba has come and gone in the blink of an eye.  Everyone tells you it goes by faster than you can imagine but you never believe them till it’s over.  I’ve made a lot of memories at Catawba but there’s a handful that stands out above the rest…..

Winning three SAC championships and my experiences playing four years of college baseball definitely ranks number one in my favorite memories.  I’m proud say I was a member of the Catawba Baseball program.  There’s not that many people out there who can say they played on one of the best teams in the country.   It wasn’t always about the wins, though.  It was how we got there.  The teammates that go through the hours and hours of practice, lifting, and conditioning with you are where the bonds are built. 

One thing Coach Gantt always says is,” In twenty or thirty years, you’re not going to remember whether someone was a good player or not, if they had a big hit in a championship game or choked in a clutch situation.  You’re going to remember whether that person was a good teammate or not.”

I know I’ve had some great teammates, past and present, that I will remember for the rest of my life. 

Freshman year and 3^rd floor Woodson will also always be something I remember.  It just so happened that 3^rd floor Woodson was all athletes.  There were some wild times between all the bathroom pranks, Airsoft gun wars, and destruction of property (which I was never personally involved in but I could never resist from watching).  I cannot seriously remember any dull moments in the dorm that entire year.  Hell was raised at all hours of the night.   My roommate, who will remain nameless, continually locked me out of the room while I was in the shower and I usually spent the next 30 minutes walking all over the dorm (include the female floors) looking for an RA to unlock my door, wearing only my towel and carrying my shower caddy (not one of the more fun moments but always sticks out in my mind).  As much fun at my freshman year in Woodson was, I am glad that things have gradually calmed down since then.  One year in Woodson was enough for me.

Football season was another one of my favorite times at Catawba.  Baseball was usually so miserable in the fall, when Saturdays came around, college football was all I could think about.  I’ve got some great memories from tailgating for Catawba Football.  A bar-b-que spread, Corn hole, and some sort of stereo system were mandatory during tailgating.  Not only are you tailgating with current teammates but there’s a lot of Baseball Alumni that come out to most of the home games. 

There are plenty of other memories that I will take away from Catawba as well but I don’t feel it’s appropriate to talk about them in this article.  Catawba has been a big part of my life.  I was able to get an education and play baseball for four years while doing it.

 Although, I will never be able to live in Woodson again (nor would I want to) or play another year in the Catawba Pinstripes, there is no doubt that I will be returning here for the football games and as well as watching baseball games from the stands.