As time seemed to lag behind, Aiden McGuire hit a home run, sending the ball soaring through the air. The spectacle filled both McGuire and his fellow teammates with pride, the surreal moment forever cementing itself into his mind. It was his first, but surely not his last.

A team player, a straight A student, and mathematically minded, sophomore Aidan McGuire spends most of the hours of the day in the classroom and on the field, busily finishing homework and practicing for his next game of baseball. 

McGuire generally plays first base, which he believes plays to his biggest strengths in baseball. These include understanding the greater strategy of the game, leadership, and team cooperation. He said baseball is on his mind “most of the time.” 

Joining baseball in fifth grade, he began the sport playing the position of first base, as “my team didn’t have [one].” Over time, he found he was perfect for the position.

No matter how he started, he is proud of what he has accomplished and where he stands today among the varsity team. Working hard to earn his place, McGuire said that the team accepted him as one of their own. “[They think] oh, he deserves to be here with us, he deserves to play with us.”

His drive to play baseball also comes naturally. It’s an integral aspect of his life, and the fun of cooperating with his teammates and the thrill of the game becomes its own reward.

McGuire’s favorite classes, and the ones he believes he’s best at, are honors chemistry and pre-calculus. Similar to his strategic ability while playing baseball, studying with others and taking notes allows him to grasp concepts in science-related subjects relatively easily.

Generally, McGuire feels his motivation in school comes from within and doesn’t need others to push him along. While his peers can be helpful, McGuire is often naturally interested in most of his subjects, including those he finds to be especially difficult. “English is challenging,” he said, “but it’s still a fairly interesting class… It’s interesting to be reading [classical books] and understanding why they’re important.”

McGuire has a rigorous and strict schedule, which continuously keeps him hard at work. McGuires busy schedule rewards him, as he received a 4.0 last semester. He wakes up every morning, toasts a bagel, goes to school, and finishes any homework that he may have immediately. 

In terms of balancing his life between baseball and school, McGuire, while finding it stressful, always makes sure his homework is complete, as to not fall behind from late night practices and games. “I’m [not going] to be able to wait until the last night that [homework] is due,” McGuire said. “I Have to do it as soon as possible.”

McGuire feels that his parents play a big part in his success with baseball, while also not pushing him to do anything he doesn’t feel the need to. “They’re very supportive,” he said.

McGuire finds his parents have also always been willing to help, as they drove him to and from baseball and school before he was able to drive himself. “They have to take you everywhere and do everything,” he said. “It was really helpful.”

Continuing on, McGuire expects to hold himself to the same standards as he has in the past: being a good student, a positive friend, and a valuable asset to his team.