March 13, 2020

By Yuri Coghe

Canadian Baseball Network

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Baseball has already taken 17-year-old Canadian Junior Team pitcher Jack Seward to two different continents. He hopes that’s just the beginning.

The native of Port Moody, B.C., took part in a training camp in Australia last season, before representing Canada at the U18 World Cup in South Korea.

“Baseball (there) is much different than (in) Canada and the USA,” Seward said Wednesday during a break in practice at Canada Junior Team spring training. “They are more meticulous, organized. They have a different respect for their coaches, kind of treat them more like elders and less like friends.”

One of his biggest takeaways from the Asia trip was how the local players had clear targets for every meal.

“They weren’t allowed to leave the dining area until they reached their weight goal. That resonated on how much they take care of their bodies.”

While making new friends on the American Junior team and getting in touch with new cultures have helped him a lot this off-season, playing for his country was the best part.

“When you play for your country in an actual competition, you’re not worried about how hard you are throwing, or ‘What does this guy think of me?’ Straight up, you want to win. It’s refreshing,” Seward said.

“It takes the ‘me’ part away, and you’re just for the (country’s) name on the front, just trying to win. I’ll probably never be able to replicate that for a while, so I cherish that a lot, that I was able to play for the team and not for myself.”

Making it big is his target now. He might join the University of Oregon next fall – unless he gets picked by a Major League team in the June 10 amateur draft.

“If I go to Oregon, I’m going to have fun. It’s going to be a great baseball program and I’m going to get a good education. If I’m fortunate enough to get drafted and signed, then I’ll be doing this (practicing Baseball) every single day, and this is what I love to do. So, it’s comforting just knowing I’ll be able to do what I love either way.”

For that to happen, the mental part of the game can potentially be Seward’s most lethal weapon, judging by his Feb. 17 tweet that reads “Confidence on an all-time high.”

“That part is huge,” Seward said. “Confidence is everything. If I didn’t have any confidence, I’d be half the player I am. Visualizing yourself having success, keeping a positive mindset even when you are having ups and downs, it’s really key for performances.”