Barrington High School Baseball Player Profile: Clark Eillott

 

 

This week, Great Lakes Post talked with Michigan Baseball 2019 recruit Clark Elliott of Barrington High School in Illinois to preview his senior season of high school baseball.

 

How excited are you for this season?

I am extremely excited; we have a very talented team this year with lots of good young players. We have loads of depth both positionally and in our pitching staff. I expect us to make a serious run into the postseason and hopefully come home with some hardware. It is my senior year, and I am excited to end my high school career on a high note and leave my mark on the program.

 

What’s it like being a shortstop?

Playing shortstop is great because I am the captain of the infield. It is my responsibility to make sure that people are in the right positions and that everyone knows what’s going on before every pitch and batter. Everyone always puts there focus on the shortstop, and I like that added pressure because I feel like it brings the best out of me.

 

How did you first get into baseball?

I first got into baseball just like most kids; my parents signed me up for t-ball. Nobody in my family played baseball, but for some reason, I fell in love with the game at a young age. I would always go to the local park and play pick up games with my friends. I loved the team aspect of the game along with the specialized skills and hard work required to be good at this game.

 

Did you play any other sports?

I grew up playing lots of different sports as a kid. In middle school, I played football and basketball. Towards the end of middle school, I would be at basketball practice and wishing I was in the cages getting better.  From that point on, I decided to stick full time to baseball. I still play pickup games with my friends for fun, but once high school started, I stuck to baseball.

 

Why is Michigan the place you wanted to go?

Michigan is one of the best universities both academically and athletically, and that stood out to me when I was going through the recruiting process. My parents placed a lot of importance on academics, and Michigan’s academics are top notch. Athletics along with academics receive lots of attention at the University of Michigan, all facilities are of the highest quality, and they continue to get better. When I stepped foot on campus for my first visit, I got to experience what it would be like attending the university. At the Michigan vs. Nebraska football game, I was able to see the sense of community that is present at the university. Everyone was coming together, and it was something that I knew I wanted to experience.

 

How do you mentally prepare for a game?

Before each game, I listen to my pregame playlist which puts me in the right mindset to compete. Thirty minutes before I get to the field, I shut down my electronics and start to focus on the game. During this time I will visualize myself succeeding on the diamond. I try to get to the game early and use the extra time to stretch and get my body loose. While doing this, I am focused on the opponent and my game plan at the plate and in the field. Before each season I read “The Mental Game of Baseball” by H.A. Dorfman and Karl Kuehl.  This book covers lots of topics that help a player reach his peak performance. The mental part of the game is just as important as your physical tools, and I try each day to improve that part of my game.

 

What has baseball taught you?

Baseball has taught me so much in life. To begin, it showed me the value of hard work and patience. In this game, it is necessary to work hard when nobody is looking to be successful. You are forced to learn new techniques to improve your game in the long run, and that takes time.  You have to be willing to stick with it.

 

Another thing that I have learned is leadership and being a team player. One player can not carry a team to longterm success; everybody has to be on the same page in order to have team success. The game taught me how to bring the best out of my teammates. I’m learning how to bring a team together to reach a common goal. I learned how to make sacrifices that may not be in my best interest but benefits the team. This game taught me that not everything revolves around me and that sometimes you are going to be called upon to do something that you are uncomfortable doing but benefits the team. All of these aspects have made me into the person that I am today, and I feel that these lessons will stick with me throughout my life.

 

What will you miss about high school baseball?

I will miss the friendships for sure. I have been playing baseball with many of these kids since we were in kindergarten and after this season we won’t ever play together again. My teammates are my family, and we have been through so much together. We’ve grown up together, and after this year we are all taking our separate paths.