University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Getting to Know Tim Lynch
2/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -
This is the fourth of part in a series on getting to know Southern Miss baseball players. The Golden Eagles begin their 2015 season Friday, Feb. 13, against Murray State -
Q: Why did you choose the sport of baseball?
A: Growing up in South Florida, right around Jupiter, you had two minor league teams (as well as their MLB spring training club sites) right there. At a young age, it was the Cardinals and the Expos and then it turned into the Cardinals and the Marlins. I got to see Mark McGwire and Albert Pujols up close, as well as guys like Miguel Cabrera. See them every couple of days in the month of March (during spring training). To be able to be like them, it would be really cool.
Q: Being from South Florida, is baseball ingrained into you?
A: It is definitely huge down there and there is a lot of competition, especially the more south you get because everyone plays from a pretty young age. You can play year-round. There are so many teams there and you have a lot of snowbirds from the north which makes it big.
Q: Who was your childhood idols?
A: Overall, it would be my parents. I have three siblings and they took care of us, putting us through private school for the most part. I was the first one to go to public school when I got to high school and they also put us through college. They could have been doing so many different other things with their time. They were always taking my brothers and sisters, which all played sports. They spent all day at work and then would take us to practice, making us meals. They sacrificed a great deal for us, even on weekends. (My feeling is) If they care so much about us and to do all that they have for us and to worry about we do, why can't do my part in doing what I need to do to be the best baseball player and person that I can be.
Q: What was your most memorable baseball moment?
A: It was my freshman year when I was able to start on opening day here which was pretty cool. Playing in high school you might get for your best games a couple of hundred people to show up. We played Missouri my first weekend and it was packed. To be a part of that and being able to sweep them and just to be able to factor that weekend and play right away as a freshman was really cool and something that I will always remember.
Q: Why brought you to Southern Miss?
A: When I came up here, seeing the atmosphere is pretty unbelievable. Where I am from, the closest teams are FAU and FIU and, meaning no disrespect, the atmosphere is totally different. You don't really get a sense of college baseball like you do here with the fan support. Coming up here and seeing how serious the people in Hattiesburg take their sports, especially baseball, I really wanted to be a part of that to play in front of thousands ever day in a beautiful, professional facility that we have here.
Q: If you were to pick another sport to play, which one would it be?
A: I would love to play hockey. My dad played a little bit. Having roots from up north, I watch the sport a lot and it is probably my favorite to watch on TV. I played some roller hockey and that was some of the most fun I have ever had. Obviously ice hockey is a lot different. If I could play another sport if would definitely be hockey because I had a blast playing it the couple times that I have had a chance to do it.
Q: What is your academic major and why did you choose that?
A: I am a business administration major. I would someday like to maybe work in a casino or some type of business that I can show my leadership qualities that could translate into an administrative position in a business. That could also include the restaurant business or something along those lines that I am really interested in pursuing. I would love to be able to run something like that someday.
Q: What is the best thing to wear the Black and Gold?
A: There is so much. The No. 1 thing is all the guys in the locker room. We are all great friends and we all hang out outside of the stadium. We all have the same mission and that is something that I share with 35 other guys. Also playing in front of the fan base that we have. How many college kids get to play before a couple thousand people at every (home) game. I know we are somewhere in the Top 20 in attendance every year. Being able to play at an athletic program with such history. You see (current Minnesota Twin) Brian Dozier out here all the time, who was in the home run derby last year. Brett Favre is one of the best quarterbacks of all time. Just being a part of a program with a lot of history is really special.
Q: What do you like to do when you are not playing baseball?
A: I like working out a lot. I have actually been watching a lot of "Prison Break" lately on NetFlix. With the season coming up, you don't want to overdo it in the weight room so I have been enjoying NetFlix as well as playing the XBOX 1, which is something I like to do. My roommate and I play along with some of my teammates. We get to hang out with all our friends in the complex and it is cool to be able to live a couple houses down from all my friends. So we all just hang out, watch whatever is on TV and go eat together. It pretty much is the extent of my life.
