VAN METER, Iowa — The young men that make up the Van Meter senior class have raised the standards of the Bulldogs. In their careers, they made four trips to the dome and won a state football title. They made multiple trips to the State Basketball tournament and have gone to the State Baseball tournament three consecutive seasons, including 2019 where they won the 2A crown. That is just a handful of the accomplishments, and now they’re looking to go out on top with one more summer on the diamond.
“At the end of the day—every season is different, we still have the same goal to take every day one step at a time past sports are in the past and this is our 2020 baseball season.”
One that almost didn’t happen, but for the seven seniors on the Van Meter Baseball team, they’re thankful they get to take the field for one last summer.
“It means a lot to me just a lot of effort a lot of people put in just so we could have a season. Even with the social distancing it’s incredible to even have one.”
The flow of practice has changed a bit.
“We all have our own assigned spot along the fence six feet apart from each other and we all have our own hand sanitizer that we have to put on between each drill and everything so then just keep on hand sanitizing I guess.”
Along with the return of co-head coach Mike Kennedy after missing last season because of his military deployment.
“It’s great for me to get back and get on the field with the kids but at the same time this is their opportunity to get back out here and be a part of it.”
Kennedy wasn’t able to be in the dugout for that 2019 class 2a title run—but a repeat is a big motivator for the bulldogs in 2020.
“To kind of have that target on your back I guess you gotta keep moving that target forward keep setting the bar.”
Now we are a week from the opening day of the season—
“Can’t wait man.”
But as the Bulldogs take the field, they’ll do so without one of their teammates from that State Championship team.
“He was a big part of last season and he’s forever going to be a part of the rest of our lives.”
Harrison Smith, who passed away in early February unexpectedly, would have been playing his senior season as well.
“He’s always with us, we’ll forever carry him with us we all really relied on each other to get through the troubling time and no matter what we do in life we know he’s always going to be with us and looking out for us.”
Harrison is the true motivation for the Bulldogs to chase that second straight state crown.
“There’s not a day where not a day that goes by where you don’t think about him we know he’s here with us and we’re trying to win it for him. Go get him one of those hats.”