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09/24/2020 12:00 AMDeclan Christopher started watching baseball when he was five and quickly found a love for the sport by attending Major League Baseball games with his father Peter. Declan’s passion for the pastime has only grown since then, especially after he began his own baseball career.
Declan is a junior at Haddam- Killingworth High School, where he competes for the Cougars’ baseball team. This past summer, Declan played center field and catcher for the Clinton Huskies 16-U baseball squad in the East Shore Travel League.
“My favorite aspect of the sport is how much it brings different people together all over the world. Baseball is played a lot, and people get together in order to watch, play, and talk about the game,” Declan says. “Another thing is how much love there is for the game. Last spring, our school season was canceled, and many athletes expressed their frustration due to the fact that we couldn’t play.”
Declan, who lives in Killingworth, was disappointed that the MLB season was postponed for as long as it was due to COVID-19. When the season finally started, Declan felt a sense of hope that he might be able to play for a summer league team.
“Many people were also frustrated when the MLB season was postponed and there couldn’t be any spectators,” says Declan. “I have had the time to reflect, and we shouldn’t take playing for granted, and we should appreciate the game of baseball.”
Declan made the most of his opportunity to play the summer season with the Clinton Huskies. Declan looks back at the campaign with positive feelings because of all the memories that he made with his teammates.
“My favorite moment from last season was going to the field every Thursday night and seeing my teammates. We went out there and tried to win every time we were out there. It was a lot of fun,” Declan says. “Another memorable thing was my first year on the Huskies [in 2018], we went down to Delaware to play in the Sandcastle Tournament, and I got to bond with my teammates and play teams from different states.”
Clinton Huskies’ Head Coach Willie Fritz calls Declan one of the hardest-working players on his roster. Fritz enjoyed watching Declan’s progress on the ballfield throughout the season.
“Declan has a lot of potential to become a really talented player,” Fritz says. “He worked hard all summer, and he improved both defensively and at the plate. He’s a fun player to watch.”
Declan has a fun-loving relationship with Coach Fritz. Declan knows that above all else, Fritz just wants to see him improve.
“My relationship with my coach is very good, even though he always gives me a hard time about my mistakes,” says Declan. “He is always just trying to make me a better player.”
Declan, an honors student at H-K, likes putting in the necessary work to improve as a baseball player. One of the things that Declan focuses on the most is refining his skills behind the plate. Aside from baseball, Declan also plays basketball and likes spending time with his family and friends.
“I need to improve on blocking when catching and my overall strength,” Declan says. “I love hanging out with my friends and family, and I’m a very active person who likes spending most of my time outside.”
Declan was consistently one of Huskies’ biggest contributors during the summer season. One of Declan’s best performances came when he had an extra-base hit with two RBI in a game against CT Hank’s Yanks. Looking ahead to next spring, Declan wants to make key contributions for the H-K baseball squad as a junior.
“I am really hoping that we get to play. The whole COVID situation has been tough, but I think that by the spring, things should be a little bit better for us,” says Declan. “Whether it’s as catcher or in the outfield, I’m going to try and contribute any way I can.”