By John Ostapowicz / The Jambar
The Youngstown State University baseball team held its annual First Pitch Breakfast with guest speaker George Foster 9 p.m. Jan. 25, at the Waypoint 4180 Banquet Hall in Canfield.
Several members of the YSU Penguin Club, including community members, coaches and players, attended the event to help generate additional funding for the program. The gathering also featured a breakfast buffet, fellowship, 50-50 raffle and a Q&A with Foster.
Head Coach Trevor Charpie hosted the event for the first time and said it helps build the bond between the team and the Mahoning Valley.
“It builds this togetherness that we have as a unit and this whole community is a family. It takes more than just one good player to have a baseball team,” Charpie said. “It takes a community.”
Foster, a two-time World Series champion and five-time MLB All-Star for the Cincinnati Reds, spoke to the team before and during the event. He spoke on the importance of mental health, personal experiences and his journey to the Major Leagues.
Charpie said Foster is a legend and his experience can help better the team before the official start of the season.
“Overall, hearing somebody with such experience is priceless. It helps me as a coach, my coaching staff and my players. He’s a great guest and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have him,” Charpie said.
With several community members in attendance, senior Jacob Gehring said the yearly event is a fitting way to start the season.
“It brings the community together and we get to listen to a great speaker in [Foster] this year,” Gehring said. “It’s a big accumulation of everything that makes Youngstown proud. It gets everyone thinking of baseball even though there’s snow outside.”
Gehring also said the opportunity to speak with Foster taught him the most important skill is to have fun.
“When [Foster] had the most success in a season, it was all about having fun. He was playing a game with the guys he loved and enjoyed playing with,” Gehring said. “That will stick with me and my teammates for the rest of the season.”
The men’s baseball team will begin its 2025 season with a three-game series against the University of Baylor from Feb. 14-16 in Waco, Texas.