Charlie Pierson has a big summer ahead of him. Not only is the 15-year-old playing for his beloved Sandringham Royals, but he’s also got a spot on the U16 Victoria Blue State Team.
With so much to look forward to in the rest of this season, Charlie is keeping his eyes on the prize and focusing on improving all the time. “This summer I’m just working hard trying to achieve my goals and see how far I get,” Charlie said. “I’m just trying to become a better team player in the field and batting.”
The third baseman first got into the sport because of friendly family encouragement, and he hasn’t looked back since. “My brother started playing baseball and he kept on nagging me to play,” Charlie said. “I had a try and I really enjoyed my first season of it.”
For Charlie, baseball quickly became a passion for him, and he holds fond memories of big moments like hitting his first home run with his teammates cheering him on. “It became addictive, kind of like having coffee in the morning,” Charlie said. “You just can’t go without it. At school during the week, I’m looking ahead to baseball training and games on the weekend.”
Earlier this year, Charlie went to the 2019 Australian Junior League Championships as part of Southern Mariners Junior League All-Star team and came back with a silver medal. His exciting year continues as the U16 player has gotten game time with Sandringham’s Division 1 Thirds this VSBL season as he keeps developing his skills and growing stronger in his game techniques. “It’s a great club with good people and good teams,” Charlie added.
With a bright future ahead of him, Charlie hopes to succeed in his athletic ambitions, and he encourages others to do the same. “If you want to go far with it, put in the hard work and it’s a really good sport,” Charlie said, “If everyone does their job it makes for a better team.”