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09/05/2020 12:00 AMJake Bodner participated a variety of sports as a youngster in Branford, but as soon as he stepped on the field to play tee-ball, Jake knew that the diamond was the place he wanted to be. As the years went by, Jake not only became a better athlete, he also found that playing baseball helped him grow as a person.
Jake recently graduated from Branford High School after competing for the Hornets’ baseball team since his freshman year. Jake had played in Branford’s Little League system until he was 12 and also competed at the AAU level with the Branford Sting. In 2014, Jake was a member of the town’s Cooperstown 12-U team that won the state championship and advanced to play in a national tournament.
“It was a great experience, one of the highlights of my baseball career. It was a lot of fun with all the guys that I had been playing with for three, four years,” says Jake. “It’s such a great atmosphere, staying in the barracks and being with your team all day. You get to see great competition, playing teams from all around the country. You meet a lot of cool people and you get to play some great baseball.”
When he started high school, Jake played baseball and basketball for the Hornets. After going through both seasons, Jake decided that he was going to “zero in” on baseball and make that the one sport he played at Branford.
“Freshman year, we would lift for baseball in the fall. I saw some progress, and then I went to basketball practice, and we really didn’t lift or do anything like that. I saw how much better I could be if I had two seasons of lifting,” Jake says. “Being able to better myself and get bigger, faster, and stronger was a driving factor. I felt more a part of playing something bigger when playing for the baseball team.”
Jake was cross-rostered on Branford’s JV and varsity teams during his sophomore season. The Hornets advanced all the way to the semifinals of the Class L State Tournament that year. Jake says that seeing how well the upperclassmen performed gave him a better understanding of what he needed to do to become his best.
“That was probably the biggest year for my baseball development. Mentally and physically, those guys were really good. Each brought something unique to the team that I didn’t have experience with,” Jake says. “I was able to learn from all the seniors something new about baseball or life. Being a part of that playoff run was special. I just felt like I was sharing success with a group of guys that definitely deserved it.”
In his junior year, Jake took over as the starting shortstop on the Hornets’ varsity squad. He calls the season a “culture shock,” saying that he didn’t have his best year defensively and struggled mentally. After reevaluating his position on the team, Jake became a relief pitcher for the second half of the season.
Jake credits Assistant Coach Bryan Maturo for helping him improve on the mound. The more time that Jake spent pitching, the more confident that he felt out there.
Jake was looking forward to pitching for Branford as a senior, but the season was canceled due to COVID-19. Although he didn’t get to pitch for the Hornets, Jake started several games for Branford’s U-19 team in the Connecticut Elite Baseball Association this summer. One of Jake’s best performances came when he tossed a one-hitter in a 1-0 loss to Madison.
“I was very excited to hear that we would get one more shot to play this season. I was preparing for the high school season, thinking that I’d make an impact, maybe relief pitch, get a couple starts,” says Jake, who had played for Branford’s American Legion program in previous summers. “Going into the summer season, I saw that I could have a bigger impact. I got the start in our first game. All my hard work from pitching was paying off. I pitched a lot better than I thought I could this season. I found what I was good at in baseball.”
When he wasn’t pitching, Jake started every game in either left or right field for Branford. Head Coach Kyle Heins loved what Jake brought to his squad on the hill, in the outfield, and in the dugout.
“Jake is a big-game pitcher who brings leadership to our team both on and off the field. His positive attitude is contagious. He is a young man who never complains and always keeps his cool,” Heins says. “I have had Jake since he was 16 years old and, with another year of eligibility, I’ll try my hardest to get him back for one more.”
Even though he lost his final season of high school baseball, Jake still had an eventful senior year. In the fall, Jake joined the Branford football team as its placekicker. He was also presented with a Scholar Leader Award from the Southern Connecticut Conference as a senior. Another big honor for Jake came when he was named one of the captains for the baseball team with fellow senior Bennett Gentile.
“That was something I’ve had in the back of my mind since freshman year. I’ve always been a vocal player and vocal teammate. I always had my eyes set on becoming a captain, and I was glad to know that my teammates had trust in me to lead them alongside Bennett,” says Jake. “I couldn’t imagine being a captain with anyone else. I was really honored to get that distinction.”
Jake recently moved in to Villanova University, where he is on the exploratory science and pre-dental tracks. While he isn’t playing baseball in college, Jake has gotten into golf and is hoping to play at the intramural level.
Jake credits the game of baseball for helping him mature as a young adult. Jake says that he gained great mental strength as a result of his time on the ballfield in Branford.
“Baseball is one of the most challenging sports mentally. There’s an insane growth that comes with living your life while playing baseball. You encounter so many great coaches, so many great people,” Jake says. “Baseball has already been around in my life, and I’d be curious to see where I’d be right now without it. But I would never trade it. I’ve made so many great friends and had so many great experiences through baseball.”