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02/27/2024 11:22 AMThe game of baseball often imitates life and instills great lessons from it. It often showcases the idea that when you persist with positivity, you can truly ascend. This has been the case for Joshua Faucher, who has reached yet another top tier of America’s Pastime.
The Valley Regional senior pitcher first played on the diamond around the age of 7, but lost passion for the game. He was eventually drawn back into it, thanks in large part to his family. Ever since then, he has maximized his time on the baseball diamond and made the most of it, by recently committing to play for Mitchell College.
“I got back into baseball, it has taken me a long way, and I am grateful for it. When my brother got into baseball that is when I got more into it. It brought me back to my childhood, and it just came back to me,” says Joshua. “I am grateful for the opportunity to play college baseball. It takes a mentality of working hard and wanting to be a good person every day. You have to have a good ethic with everything in life, because it goes a long way.”
Speaking more to his familial influence with the sport he loves, Joshua notes that his father plays a pivotal role in keeping his internal drive well alive. Joshua also notes that sports have served him as a way to get out in the local community.
“My success comes from my motivation to play, along with the motivation from everyone in my baseball community,” Joshua says. “My dad got me into the sport at first, and he helps to keep me motivated with his words, and those words stick with me. I also have a lot of people around me encouraging me to stick with the sport. Baseball is also a good way to get yourself out there with events, like fundraisers for the team.”
Joshua’s tenure on the mound got off to a bit of a late start, but he has made up for long lost time. He notes that playing arguably the toughest position mentally in a sport that evokes deep thought into every solitary action simply makes you a more well-rounded person.
“I did not get the chance to pitch until my later seasons in high school, but I love it,” Joshua says. “You have to find your spots in the strike zone as a pitcher, and keep your head up. It is such a mental game, and it is one of the toughest mental sports, especially as a pitcher. You have to expect things will not always go your way. You have to have a strong mental game, be strong, think like you are the best, and play like you are the best.”
When it comes to cultivating the best mechanics on the bump, Joshua has discovered that ironically it is more about the lower limbs when it comes to being able to throw the heat. Yet when it comes to spending countless hours toeing the rubber, it all goes back to the adage that practice makes perfect.
“I did not get many chances to pitch early on, but my coaches have told me that it is all in my legs and leg strength,” says Joshua. “You have to make good strides towards the plate, and work through your legs and hips. You also must make sure every pitch is the same mechanical-wise. I know that if I keep practicing, I will continue to see improvement.”
Brian Drinkard, who served as Joshua’s baseball skipper at Valley through his junior season, explained that he has worked diligently at his craft. So, it comes with little shock but great pleasure to him to see Joshua rewarded for his efforts.
“Josh has worked extremely hard as a pitcher at Valley,” says Drinkard. “I am very happy for him that he will be able to continue his baseball career at Mitchell College.”
The Warriors will walk into Joshua’s final campaign with a bit of a target on their backs as the reigning Shoreline Conference champions, while being one of the more youthful rosters in the league. He counters that helping the youth grow, while welcoming on a co-op venture, will only bolster the bravado and brotherhood of Valley.
“We have a young team this year, and I am one of the few seniors on the team. We are also inviting Westbrook High School to join our team this year, which is a great chance for us to be a stronger team,” says Joshua. “It is all good things to look forward to, and with us being a young team, I am excited to show some leadership.”
Joshua is following in the footsteps of many previous colleagues and teammates by continuing on with the game in a collegiate fashion. He concludes that to achieve these heights, it is more than simply flashing the leather, it is beyond a hobby and total commitment.
“I started within this Valley program as a sophomore, and we have had talent in the past year. We have had many guys go play Division I and Division II baseball, and so I have seen a lot of what those guys can do, especially when no one is watching,” Joshua says. “It takes more than just practice; it really is a lifestyle. Baseball has taught me to step up and to have a mindset to not let anything get in your way.”