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11/18/2024 10:50 PMIt is hard to think about spring as the air becomes cooler and the daylight shorter. But for Charlie Carmichael, the month of April could not come any sooner, as he anxiously awaits the day he hits the diamond as a key member of the Old Saybrook baseball team.
The senior center fielder has had baseball in his life for as long as he can remember, beginning with t-ball and working his way up to earning a starting varsity role for the Rams his sophomore year of high school. Now, in his upcoming final foray with the squad, Charlie will serve as a captain for a squad with many goals and postseason aspirations.
“I think I started playing AAU baseball around sixth grade. I played other sports before that, basketball and soccer. In sixth grade is when I made the switch to really focus on baseball,” says Charlie. “It was mostly my grandpa that showed a lot of interest in baseball, and he helped me with a lot of skills early on, as well as my dad too.”
Throughout his high school tenure on the field, Charlie has never given up his desire to keep playing and improving, and he’s always had a good head on his shoulders. Being appointed to a captain’s role certainly isn’t something that came with a lack of hard work, and Charlie knows it’ll come with having a voice and speaking up around his underclassman counterparts.
“That was an honor to be chosen as one of the captains. In the past, [Old Saybrook baseball Head Coach Ryan Fraser] kind of looked to me that was someone who led by example, and not more of a vocal captain,” says Charlie. “I think this year, it's going to be really crucial for me specifically, as well as the other captains, to be more vocal, especially to some of the other players on the team. That's going to be a big part of having a successful season.”
One thing that makes Charlie’s baseball career so impressive is that he joined an elite group when he landed a regular gig on the varsity team as an underclassman. It was a role he eased into and embraced, and the experience helped him tenfold to prepare for his upperclassman years.
“I guess in a lot of programs, there's not many opportunities for kids to play varsity at such a young grade. So as a freshman, they had me play a little, mostly used me defensively,” says Charlie. “Sophomore year is when I fully had a varsity starting role. I hit lead-off that year too, so that's a lot of pressure. Sophomore year really helped me this year because it kind of took the stress off, and it showed me what varsity baseball was going to be like early on.”
Charlie started his sophomore season with a batting average of .180, and in the second half, he was able to improve that number to about .400. As a junior, Charlie received an Honorable Mention to the Shoreline Conference. Fraser emphasizes the hard work that Charlie put in to be able to see such a leap in his productivity, saying that he never takes a situation or opportunity on the field for granted.
“Charlie is a player who believed in the process and never wavered through the highs/lows associated with high school baseball. He played a key role as more of a defensive specialist his freshman year during our conference championship run in 2022,” Fraser says. “He learned a lot from his older teammates in terms of what it takes to perform at a high level. I look forward to seeing him back in his natural position for his senior season. His transformation as a player, both skill and strength wise, from sophomore to junior year to even this upcoming year, that was the jump that we knew we could see and continue to see in Charlie to get to the level that we know he is capable of. Charlie is a student-athlete who puts everything into what he does and is a great inspiration for younger players in our program.”
Additionally, Fraser sees Charlie, who is committed to playing baseball at Saint Joseph’s College in Maine after graduating, as an impactful athlete for more than just Old Saybrook baseball. He knows Charlie’s dedication to the sport he loves will continue to take him places until he becomes a household name.
“I am looking forward to watching Charlie make his name known throughout the conference. Charlie has been pushing himself to reach his goal of being a future collegiate athlete. I cannot be happier that he is on the path to achieve it, so I am excited for him to enjoy his senior year and trust all of the work he has put in,” says Fraser. “He is a student-athlete who handles himself the right way on and off the field. I want the team and program to continue to emulate his passion, professionalism, and hard work that he brings to the field every day.”
Last spring, the Rams finished the regular season with an overall record of 10-10. Despite facing some adversity early on, the team still found itself competing in the Shoreline Athletic Conference (SLC) Tournament and Class S State Tournament. Despite the roster being small in volume compared to some of its opponents, Charlie has high hopes for his team to be able to get back to the postseason stages this spring and make an even deeper run.
“In general, we don't have that many numbers just because it's a small school. There are around 20 players on the team that are returning from last year,” Charlie says. “With those four seniors from last season, there are going to have to be other players that step up throughout this upcoming season for the team.”