a true In the 2010 baseball season, sophomore Lucas Waddell was unstoppable. He all but placed the ball right where he wanted it in the batter's box time after time, earning the nrckname "The Control Freak." "I wouldn't say I can put the ball anywhere, but control is definitely my strength as a pitcher," Waddell said. "Control didn't come overnight; it has always been my strength, and it has slowly improved over time with practice of the mechanics that I think are so crucial to having good control. It's about being able to do the same thing over and over again." Waddell came to Harding from a small town called Ladner located just a few minutes south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Though Waddell enjoyed watching and learning from other pitchers such as Roy Halladay, he claimed his biggest role models were those who insprred him to live a pleasing life in God's eyes. "I have tried to model my life after the humble and wise, such as my father," Waddell said. "He has definitely been the biggest influence in my life." In 2009, Waddell threw a 7-inning shutout that put the team one game above .500 and gave the Bisons a winning record for i •• . ............ ill· a true difference the season. Surprisingly, this was not the point Waddell claimed to be his greatest "baseball moment." "When I was younger I had a horrible attitude," Waddell said. "With every failure I JUSt lost my temper and composure. For me the best moment in baseball I've had is when I realized that failure is going to happen no matter how good I am, and that having a good attitude and staying positive through adversity only makes you better on and off the field." According to Coach Patrick McGaha, Waddell evidenced that positive attitude to his teammates and his coach. "Lucas has a really great work ethic that carries over not just on the field but in the classroom as well," McGaha said. "Because of his work ethic, other guys on the team respect him and look up to him." Since freshman year, however, Waddell continued to grow as a player. "As Lucas had successes on the field, you could see him gaining confidence and being a more assertive player," McGaha said. Waddell had only one goal for the 2011 season: to be better than he was the year before. }ames Taylor/ Kelsey Sherrod Row 1 L Waddell, M. Casey, I Jordan, I Verzosa, L Denton, C. Fletcher, PAnzalone, T Nelson. Row 2: C. Presley, I Wagnon, T Billen, W. McDonald D Stephens, T Kinnear, D Niehls, PNappi Row 3 Coach PMcGaha, R. Hunt, D Blount, B. Brumley, H. Shirley, K. Cline, T Keith, I Giles, H. Boyd, M. McRae, P. O'Sullivan, Coach B. Reeves. Row 3: C. Presley, I Wagnon, T Billen, W McDonald D. Stephens, T Kinnea r. D. Niehls, P. Nappi Row 4: I Abrams, A Smith, E. McCarver. A Gugleimi, A Robertson, C. Bradley, C. West, I Nappi jeff Montgomery baseball 283
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