10 Questions With ... Kelly Austin -- Baseball

Our next installment of "10 Questions With ..." features second-year pitcher Kelly Austin, who talks about overcoming the loss of longtime coach John Altobelli and his plans and goals this year and beyond.

1. We will start with the hard stuff … tell me about where you were when you heard about Coach Alto passing away and what those first few days and weeks were like?

When I found out, I was at my house getting ready in the morning and started seeing people texting in group chat. They were talking about the helicopter that Kobe was on had crashed, but at that time, I had no connection with Alto. Michael (Ryhlick) had mentioned that Alto was going to be with Kobe that weekend and people stated getting nervous. I was tutoring (Alto's daughter) Lexi for physics and I asked her if she heard anything and she said she didn't know where her family was. That's when it really settled it for me. Everyone needed to be at the field as a team and he whole team was there as a group. It was a very long day out there.  We got all together and we decided that we wanted to play -- he wouldn't want us to miss any baseball … so we went out that first day. Being on that field that first day back was weird. He had been there every single scrimmage/practice and it was weird that first day for that first game he wasn't there. That first game, the whole team tried to do too much and we all wanted to honor Alto because of all he did for us. He was the reason I came to Coast and I was blessed to have this opportunity. Without him, I would've gone elsewhere and I probably would've sold myself short. Coming to Coast was the best decision I've ever made."

2. I guess the next obvious question is … how are you doing now?? With the loss of John and all of this COVID stuff … how are you holding up?

"I'm doing alright … not doing horrible. Obviously, when a person impacts you like that, he stays in your thoughts, but it's not eating away at me like it used to. I see it from a better perspective now. I miss the guy – he was awesome -- and our season cut short … we were just starting to hit our stride and letting things go. We had 30-40 guys that were all going through the same things and with a family of 40, it makes things easier. It definitely helped to lean on those guys and talk through it with everyone. But, without playing the games, it went from seeing them literally every single minute to all of a sudden, you're gonna get in trouble if you see them, period. It was really a rough transition, but a bit better these last couple of months. Things are opening up a bit and we are able to do more things."

3. What are your personal goals and team goals for this upcoming season and some advice for freshman next year??

Team wise, our goal is obvious … to take the team as far as we can go. This is Orange Coast College we're talking about … this is what we came to do … from No. 70 on the roster to No. 1. People come to Coast to transfer to a D-1 program and win a championship. I wanna do well for Nate for his first year. We trust in that guy just like we did Coach Alto and we all wanna do well for him and do well for your teammates. That's the biggest difference between a championship team and a normal team -- playing for others vs. playing for yourself. My personal goals:  put up a good season … get recruited to a place where I feel like I fit. I'm one of the older guys on the staff and I want to set a good example for the freshman below me. As a freshman, the biggest things you can do is to treat every day like that first month of practice. During that first month, every time a coach tells you to do something, they do it full speed with 100% hustle and intensity You will want to have that mentality in month 2 and month 3. Guys who settle are guys who will struggle."

4. With everything that's happened to the baseball program, the bright side of it all is the beginning of Nate Johnson's career. What was your take on his brief career last year and how has the transition been from Alto to Nate?

"I think the transition has been good. At the start of the season last year, our Day 1, first team talk, Alto told everyone that he was eventually going to retire and Nate he was grooming Nate to take and he named him the Associate Head Coach. Obviously, that day came sooner than expected. He trusted him and we all believe that too. He's coming out with some fire. If you have a coach that always has your back, that's huge. We all trust Nate … he brings a lot of energy to the field. Alto, in his elder years, was a bit more even keel, where Nate is a bit more animated and will get after the whole team, which is not necessarily a bad thing. He's going to be an awesome head coach for many years to come."

5. Tell me about your role with the Pirates as the closer and short reliever last year … what was that like?? Did you do that in high school?? Is that your plan for this year too, or is Nate going to try to work you into the rotation??

"Never really did that too much in HS. I was more of a starter. Obviously, everyone wants to be a starter and that's not necessarily what's best for the team. Alto sat me down last year and told me, "I could start you and use you once a week, but your arm recovers better, so we'd like to use you three times a week." They were going to move me to a starter spot before the season was cut short. This year, I'm not really sure of my role in the pitching staff just yet. I'll be playing a role, but I know I gotta earn it. We've got 27 pitchers on the staff right now and that doesn't include bounce-backs we might get later on. Every spot has to be earned … whether you're the ace, or the closer or whatever … you have to earn your spot. My full intent is to do the best I can at whatever role I can do for this team."

6. If I gave you a 24-hour pass from COVID and you could do anything that you used to do, what would it be?? What do you miss the most from this isolation??

"Without a doubt, I'd want to have a game with my teammates. I'd want to have a full intersquad and just go out there and get after it. If we did that now, that would get shut down so fast! Guys want to play and we all miss each other. Your home is actually at the field with your teammates and with the amazing facility we have at Coast, I can't wait to get back."

7. All kids like to eat … what are your favorite meals??
   1. Favorite food in general – "Poke … love it!"
   2. Favorite pregame meal – " I tend to eat light before a game. Perhaps a protein shake or some fruits or trail mix or something like that. On a normal day, perhaps some fruit or chicken salad … something cool and light."
   3. Favorite meal afterwards – "A lot of the guys like Raising Cane's. You always get good food there, that's for sure."
8. When you're not playing baseball, what do you enjoy doing?? Any hobbies or interests???

"I play some guitar and I like to surf with my buddies. Also, I enjoy woodworking."

9. With COVID, the world has been binge-watching anything and everything … what are some of your top shows you've been getting into? 

"I've been watching the heck out of NFL and other sports that have been on TV. I'm not normally a big TV guy. I've been training with guys and now that things have opened up a bit more, I got to spend a month the Amarillo Texas Collegiate League, where I got to play against a lot of PAC-12 guys and guys from all over the country. I also got to play with a couple of former OCC players, Chris Ceballos and Tommy Williams, so that was great." 

10. What would you like to do AFTER Coast?? Are you majoring in anything at the moment?? Any long-term career goals???

"I don't really have a specific college in mind, but I want to pursue engineering, especially mechanical engineering. I'd like to study that and play ball, which is kind of a weird combo, because both are very time consuming."