Baseball's Steffens Enjoying Sophomore Season With New Family

Baseball's Steffens Enjoying Sophomore Season With New Family
Written by Student Assistant Genre McAtee
Baseball has impacted Jacob Steffens' (JS) life in so many positive ways. It's deepened his relationships with friends and family, and has taught him important life lessons. Steffens spoke to SantaClaraBroncos.com (SCU) and also details the fights he's faced to continue playing the sport he's most passionate about.

SCU: Was baseball the main reason you came to Santa Clara?
JS: Yes baseball was the main reason I came to Santa Clara. The combination of baseball and the academics made it the top school on my list.

SCU: How does playing at a college level compare to playing on a high school team?
JS: The college level is extremely fast-paced compared to high school. Going from throwing against 16-18 year olds to throwing against 19-23 year olds was a huge change. But also, I have a deeper bond with my teammates.  I am 10 times more invested in the game since I have come to school.

SCU: What about baseball makes it your No. 1 interest?
JS: I have been playing baseball since I was a kid, and it is something that has always been constant in my life. Baseball is a sport that you have to throw yourself into 100 percent, and if you don't, you will never be successful. I love working hard to get better every day and I think that a lot of the most important life lessons that I have learned have been from playing the sport.

SCU: How involved is your family in your baseball career?
JS: My family is extremely involved in my baseball career. My dad watches every game and is probably my biggest fan. He texts me immediately after every start and is just as invested in my team as anyone. My mom and two sisters are very supportive of me playing the game as well.

SCU: What are you most looking forward to this season?
JS: This summer I got elbow surgery (ulnar nerve transposition) and this is going to be one of the first seasons that I have played in a long time without elbow pain. But what I am most excited for is to see how far our team can go with the season. We have an extremely talented group of players. I am extremely excited to see how we come together as a team when the going gets tough. I am excited to just get to spend time with my team and win some games.