BREMEN, Ala. — In this interview, I talked to Cold Springs senior baseball player Brodee Bartlett. Brodee shared some of the baseball and high school memories he’s made during his time at Cold Springs.
“Every single day with the guys here was amazing. The game of baseball is such a wonderful thing. So many things at Cold Springs have brought me to where I am today. The most memorable moments have to be the everyday practices grinding to get better and just always having one another’s back. I’ll never forget us having a chip on our shoulder, going from a one-win season the year before, to the next year winning an area championship and competing in the first round of the playoffs. I know we came up short this year, but I couldn’t be prouder of every single guy on our team. We held that chip on our shoulder and never forgot. That’s how every team should be and for us to do this was amazing and I couldn’t be prouder of us,” Bartlett said. “My favorite high school memories have to be the everyday talks with my friends and the laughs in class. Nothing will ever beat the memories with all my friends at school.”
Brodee learned so much about this team and his coaches during his baseball career.
“I will always remember to never give up and to always get right back up, no matter the circumstance. You never know what’s going to take place in a few moments, so live in the moment. This team taught me how to enjoy the game and enjoy life. Baseball is the greatest sport ever invented and I believe that. So, playing with guys and having the coaches that I did is such an amazing feeling. It’s a great feeling knowing that everyone out there will always have your back, no matter the outcome,” Bartlett said. “One of the best coaches I ever had was Todd Mason. He coached me from 10u to 12u and he showed me everything I know about how to play shortstop. He helped me in ways that I never knew were possible. For that, I will always be grateful.”
He added,
“Another coach that really changed my game for me was Justin Chaffin. He was always there for me; he was a mentor and a coach you could always rely on. I couldn’t of got through my high school career without him. Coach Wesley McSwain was another one that really helped me from the eighth grade until my junior year. He trusted my skills and gave me a chance while I was young and always gave me the confidence I needed. My senior year, we got a new head coach: Brendan Voce. He really changed my outlook on life and made me look at the game from a different perspective. He helped me more this year than I could’ve ever imagined. From the daily speeches to the confidence boosters, he was amazing.”
Brodee was blessed to play alongside some great guys during his career and talked about what he will remember the most about playing at Cold Springs.
“The guys I played with; they always helped me stay relaxed and enjoy the game. They made high school baseball fun like it was supposed to be. I will definitely miss playing alongside my best friend, Josh Winfrey. All good things must come to an end, though. I’m just excited for the next step in my journey. Playing alongside some great seniors was fun and memorable. It had so many fun memories and exciting ones at that. They made the game fun, and it was always a work of art. I wouldn’t trade the last five years of high school baseball at Cold Springs for the world,” he said. “The thing I will remember the most about playing at Cold Springs will be the ability to overcome the negativity that everyone has towards Cold Springs and always thinking you can’t make it out of a smaller school. It was always a goal to show younger kids that anyone can make it from anywhere and it doesn’t matter where you’re from. If you put the work in, the results will come.”
Brodee talked about what made Cold Springs a special school to go to, plus what he will remember the most about going there, and what he will miss the most.
“The community of Cold Springs is like no other. Such a small community like ours shows you how many people have your back and will always be there for you. The love and support you get from the community is like no other,” he said. “I will always remember the support you have from each and every individual in the community. I will never forget the number of supporters you have at each and every single game, while also having the same amount of support from the faculty and staff in class. I will definitely miss being able to have the great talks with the mentors from the school and just having them there when you need them.”
Brodee gave some advice to the students that will be starting high school in August.
“I would tell them to always go out of your comfort zone. If you want to stick out, you have to be different and that’s in anything you do, whether it be class work, sports, or whatever else in life, give it your all and do what others don’t. You’re not guaranteed tomorrow, so give it your all and strive to get better one day at a time.”
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