Smurf Turf: Baseball representing more than the school
It’s that time again where you pull out the latest version of “The Eagle,” and open up to Smurf Turf (which we all know is the reason we read the paper right?). This time Smurf Turf is not going to take on the new hype of Jeremy Lin, college football or even plead for my future wife to show up. This one isn’t coming from the Smurf, it is coming from Coach Smurthwaite. Yeah, writing is a side job and the day job includes coaching 20-plus guys in baseball. I love it.
Sometimes they get a bad reputation because of a few players or because they are athletes. In this story–it does not matter.
This archived article was written by: KC Smurthwaite
It’s that time again where you pull out the latest version of “The Eagle,” and open up to Smurf Turf (which we all know is the reason we read the paper right?). This time Smurf Turf is not going to take on the new hype of Jeremy Lin, college football or even plead for my future wife to show up. This one isn’t coming from the Smurf, it is coming from Coach Smurthwaite. Yeah, writing is a side job and the day job includes coaching 20-plus guys in baseball. I love it.
Sometimes they get a bad reputation because of a few players or because they are athletes. In this story–it does not matter.
On Jan. 6, 2012 USU Eastern’s head baseball coach Scott Madsen welcomed a new baby girl into the world. Usually a joyous experience for any family-driven man like Scott, but this experience came at a cost. Chelsey Denice, his baby girl, was born three months early.
On the baseball diamond you wouldn’t guess that his mind is in a hospital intensive-care unit in Salt Lake City, Utah, but it is. Every weekend after our games or camps, he is at the hospital where his Chelsey is.
Now as you think about baseball players at Eastern, you might think about some colorful adjectives. but I guarantee that you’re wrong. The players did the best thing they could do for Scott, and that is bring Chelsey to him.
You might see the players wearing new funky hats that if you’re a baseball fan, you might recognize the logo on the front as an Oriole. This hat has inscribed on the back “ Chelsey D,” in honor of both Chelsey and her father Scott Madsen.
The players each paid out of their own pockets for these hats.
An act any poor college student might think twice about it, but there was no hesitation when the idea was presented. The hats were done without the Madsen family knowing. We all wear these hats in practice, games and around campus to show that even if Coach Madsen is at practice, games and around campus, his little girl is with him.
Sometimes athletes represent more than the team name on the jersey.
