Many athletes have their pre-game rituals and superstitions. St. Ambrose Baseball’s
Bryce Vincent is no different, but his reason for doing so might be. Bryce is in his second year at St. Ambrose University after transferring from the University of Concordia in Chicago. It has been a chance at a fresh start.
Game days are a big deal for every collegiate athlete, but for Bryce, the moment can never get too big. He has multiple pre-game and pre-at-bat rituals to help him relax and stay in the moment. He likes to say a prayer before every game and before every at-bat, he draws a cross in the dirt. Right before he steps into the box to hit he draws a cross on his chest and looks up to the sky taking a deep breath to relax and get locked in.
“It’s one of those things where what’s gonna happen is gonna happen, it’s all a part of
His plan. There’s gonna be ups and downs but that’s exactly what He wants.” Bryce says this has made a world of difference in his ability to play loose and have fun out on the baseball field.
Bryce is a devoted Christian and was raised in a Christian household. He shared that his
journey with his faith was a struggle growing up. He says having faith and religion somewhat forced onto him at a young age was difficult, and it wasn’t until his first years in college that his own faith started to grow.
Baseball can be a failure-filled sport where the elite hitters fail on average seven out of
10 times, so it is easy to get caught up and lost in the craziness of baseball.
Bryce shared that his faith is “definitely a big thing that helps me stay grounded and gives me something bigger to play for, gives me a bigger purpose”.
After completing his first fall at Concordia, Bryce says he leaned heavily on his faith while
battling mental health issues. The stress and anxiety as a collegiate athlete started to catch up with him, but he knew his growing faith could help him through. “I realized it was a little too much for one person to handle.”
This launched Bryce into his faith and he pays tribute to it every day on and off the field.
A teammate of Bryce’s, Nate Villagomez shared, “It keeps him consistent. It is something
for him to revert back to when things aren’t going his way. It keeps him grounded.” Another one of his teammates, Cooper Huckabone, says “It’s a game changer for him. It allows him to play relaxed.”
When asked about what it’s like being a Christian at a Catholic University Bryce said
this; “People have their own thoughts and beliefs and that’s up to them. I’m gonna be me and they can be themselves.”
Pending the remainder of Bryce’s collegiate career, he is looking to take his game to the
next level wherever that might be. He said he is open to any and all professional opportunities including independent ball, MLB, and leagues overseas.
Nick Vollmert is a staff writer for The Buzz.
