De’Ronzy Lawrence
Contributing Writer
The mid-way point of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) baseball season has passed, and Coach Ben Bizier and his Broward College Seahawks have positioned themselves into championship contention.
In team sports, the majority of championship contending teams all have their own unique culture. A culture that sets the foundation for a team to rise to the top, and has the ability to stay there.
Since Bizier’s tenure as head coach of the Seahawks, he has established a culture at Broward College. A culture that Athletic Director Robert Deutschman noticed early on.
“Ben is a great coach and an even better man. He is a true baseball guy. Giving him the head coaching job was an easy decision. I noticed early on how dedicated he is to helping these young men succeed. The entire coaching staff is amazing. It is like a family, and they do a great job bringing this thing together,” said Deutschman.
When asked about the type of culture that is set for the Seahawks, Coach Bizier said, “from the stand point of culture, when a college or professional coach looks at a player in a Broward College uniform, they know they will not have any reason to worry. They will not have to worry about behavioral issues on and off the field, or in the classroom. They know that they are going to gain a good student, person and definitely a good player.”
As a result of Coach Bizier’s vision, the Seahawks have been crowned Southern Conference Champions two out of the last three years.
There should be no questions on whether or not the team is buying into the culture. Nevertheless, if some do have an inkling to question, the start of the 2018 baseball campaign will make those doubters into believers.
The Seahawks stormed out the starting gates with an impressive 10 game winning streak to start the season.
The team then followed their early success with another winning streak; this time of 8 games. Dominant offensive play from utility player, Abdel Guadalupe, Catcher, Onix Vega, and Infielders, Alejandro Rivero and Jeremiah Adams all helped spark a great start to the season. All four players combined for 20 HR (Homeruns), all having a BA (batting average) over .330, and 138 RBI’s (Run batted in) with still 20 games left in the season. “I didn’t have to coach them. I didn’t do a thing. The entire team was just in a groove. They
were leading themselves and I only had to step in if really needed. It is a true testament of the type of players/leaders we have on this team,” said Coach Bizier.
The Seahawks currently have an impressive record of 23-8. However, is this level of stellar play sustainable?
The thing about superior play in sports is that there is always a point in the season where the team hits a roadblock, which can be in the form of key injuries or player fatigue from a long season, and it can spark a decline in play.
“Of course it is tough to keep playing at a high level, but we have the talent and depth to do it. We keep telling ourselves that the season doesn’t stop in late April. We are trying to make a championship push, and I believe that this is a championship caliber team,” said Pitcher, Ryan Gusto.
Coach Bizier and his Broward College Seahawks are on the verge of accomplishing something very special this season, and the Broward College faculty and student body are all believers.