Braden Brugler is part of a nine-man senior class for the Yellow Jackets on the diamond and is a four-year letterwinner.
 
Now is your chance to get to know Braden Brugler away from the diamond, as we go beyond the box score with the senior outfielder.

20 Questions With Braden Brugler

1-When did you start playing baseball? I started playing t-ball at the age of five. It is funny looking back on it now because tee work is very important for players who want to compete at the higher levels. Coach Woodley stresses tee work all of the time.
 
2-What has been the highlight of your athletic career so far? I would have to say the 16-win season we had in 2010. Winning that many games was pretty fun.
 
3-What are your goals for the 2012 season? My goal for my senior season is to help in any way that I can for the team to be successful. I really want to try and help the younger players develop all the necessary on-field knowledge and transferable skills that it takes to build a winning program. Most young players coming in think that success on the diamond just comes from on-field talent, but it really starts off the field and in the classroom as well.
 
4-Who is your funniest teammate? I would have to say Darin Waterman, but since I have been around this team, we have had a pretty hilarious group of guys. Having fun and cracking jokes to me is important when you are playing this game, because it can become very stressful. You have to be able to stay loose and have a good time, even when things are not going your way.
 
5-Do you have any nicknames? Yes. Bruise, Brugs, B-Daddy.
 
6-What three words best describe you? Outgoing, trustworthy, caring. 
 
7-What is your favorite restaurant? I would have to say Red Lobster. I do not know a soul who does not like their cheesy garlic biscuits.
 
8-Who is your biggest hero? My dad, Mark Brugler. He is the hardest working person I know. Ever since I have been a little kid, he has always taught me great life lessons that I have carried with me. Whenever I am down, or have a problem, I call him and he always gives me the best advice and best pep talks.
 
9-Dream vacation spot? Curacao. I watched a documentary about the 2008 Little League team and I fell in love with how beautiful the place is.
 
10-What is the top song currently on your iPod? Anything by the Dave Matthews Band, even though my teammates give me a hard time about it.
 
11-Who was your childhood sports hero? I am a big Cincinnati Reds fan, so growing up it was Danny Graves, Pokey Reese and Ryan Freel. I loved watching these guys play, especially Ryan Freel, because he was all out, all the time!
 
12-Do you have any superstitions or pre-game routines? I do not really believe in superstitions, but I do drink orange juice on game days.
 
13-If you could trade places with anyone for one day, who would it be? I would say any person in a third world country. I would like to see what it would be like living a day without all the things we take for granted like water, food, television, clean clothes, etc. People in the United States, including myself, do not realize how good we really have it.
 
14-What is your favorite TV show? "SportsCenter" or "Anderson Cooper" on CNN.
 
15-What is something most people do not know about you? I have six siblings.
 
16-What is your biggest fear? Spending a night in jail. I am a pretty good kid, so I do not think it will happen. Watching some of those shows on TV really scare me.
 
17-Besides your own, what is your favorite sport to watch at Defiance? Soccer. When you watch it live, you really gain respect for what those athletes can do.
 
18-What is your favorite class or professor at DC and why? Dr. Keith Christy. He is such a great person and is willing to do anything in his power to lend a helping hand. He is always sending us emails about possible jobs and internships when he really does not have to. 
 
19-What are your plans after graduating from DC? I received my bachelor's degree in sport management last May, so right now I am working on my master's degree in business administration. After I finish with school, I plan on finding a job where I will be happy.
 
20-How has playing collegiate athletics at DC helped you in life? Playing collegiate baseball has helped me grow as an individual, as well as a good teammate and friend. It has also helped me refine my transferable skills, with the most important one being time management. As a student-athlete, you have to learn how to juggle class, homework and your sport. Getting your degree has to be the main reason you went to school because how you approach off the field stuff translates to how you perform on the field. I also have learned so much more about the game of baseball thanks to Coach Woodley and the other coaches. I want to help coach someday and the knowledge I have gained at DC will definitely help me in the future.