Josh Ashen is excited for the next step of his baseball journey at Vernon College in Texas.
The dedicated Aces Academy pitcher and Cheltenham Rustlers player is making the move overseas to chase his baseball dreams after a successful junior career which included representative opportunities with the Victorian State Team and Southern Mariners.
"The most exciting thing about starting my college career is the fact that I will be living and breathing baseball every single day which will have a big impact on just how more skillful I can become as a player," Ashen said.
Although he's going to miss his family, friends, and teammates, he's made the most of his time with them in recent months while also working on his baseball skills every day by going for a run, hitting the gym, and having a throw. Sports conditioning and Academy training sessions with the BV High Performance staff have boosted his strength and confidence, too.
"Lifting is definitely one of the best things to happen, it helps you understand your body and also builds your strength to hit, run and throw better than before," Ashen added. "The more you condition and strengthen your body, the better it will be in the long run with fewer injuries."
Ashen has also found inspiration in fellow Aussie baseball players, including former MLB pitcher Travis Blackley who offered guidance during lockdown.
"He was one of the first people to help me understand what it takes to be a pitcher. To this day I still practice everything I had been taught and I just keep getting better."
He also credits Brandon Stenhouse as a great role model for guiding his game to the next level.
"Playing with him for the last few years at Cheltenham has been a really fun time. Whenever I’ve had a chance to be in front of him, he was always helping me out during and between innings," Ashen explained. "Whenever I’m at training or before/after games, I feel like I can ask him anything about his experience going through the pros and what I can do to benefit me as a pitcher."
As he joins the NJCAA Division 1 Chaps, Ashen is ready for anything the future may bring, and he hopes to inspire young baseballers with some advice that's helped him along the way.
"The main thing is also the hardest thing and that’s just grinding every single day and making sure that you're doing more than other kids out there. You’ve got to have a lot of confidence while also being humble and never skip any chances thrown your way because you never know where it could lead you."