Thomas Byelick

Since my middle school hopes and dreams of winning the lottery have yet to happen, I have turned my attention to working hard in my academics and my athletics to better my future. At the age of 17, I made a commitment to my school, my family, my team, and myself, that I would give everything that I could in order to better The Citadel Baseball, and to uphold the high standards of my school. I am currently a cadet-athlete in my senior year at The Citadel, but am more importantly a Catholic Christian. As a member of St. John Newman Catholic Church in Lilburn, Georgia, and an attendee of the Cathedral of John the Baptist while I am away at school in Charleston, I spend my Sunday mornings at church. During the school year, I have had busy weeks balancing my baseball schedule, classes, studying, and being a part of numerous other activities such as being a cadet rank-holder, giving my teammates the knowledge of the honor code as the baseball team's honor liaison and junior co-captain, being the secretary of the Health, Exercise, and Sport Science Society, spending time as a volunteer assistant coach for the strength and conditioning program, and attending meeting with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and The Citadel's Republican Society. In the past summers, I have spent my time by giving the baseball knowledge that I have learned over the years to travel baseball players who I have coached. I have worked with a 17 year old group in which ten of the players were offered college scholarships, and most recently I have worked with a 13 year old group of kids who have shown great improvements. In addition, I also spent my time this past summer as a member of the Emory Winship Oncology Undergraduate Internship program. One does not spend time finding himself, but instead creating himself. Good things come to those who work hard, and nothing worth-while is ever given; it must be worked for. I throw baseballs hard six days a week. Come to The Joe to see for yourself.