NPHS Baseball spreads holiday cheer
Spirited baseball players’ voices and festive music punctuated the crisp December evening. The air was filled with the aroma of fresh pine and spruce trees and the strings of colored lights gave off a soft glow. This was the atmosphere of the NPHS baseball team’s tree lot two weeks before Christmas. Hoping to raise money for upcoming seasons, the team has an annual tradition of selling Christmas trees in the parking lot at the corner of Reino road and Michael Drive, a custom that strengthens bonds between the players and educates them on selling techniques useful for future employment.
Trevor Kroetz, sophomore and pitcher, enjoys the team camaraderie that selling trees has fostered. “It’s just really fun to hang out with your friends [at the tree lot],” said Kroetz. This is his second year working at the lot and he has seen the benefits this fundraiser provides the baseball program. The tree lot alone covers about 60 to 70 percent of the program’s expenses, including uniforms, equipment and a recent upgrade to artificial turf on the fields. The fundraiser was coordinated by Kristi Kerns, a baseball booster club member.
In addition to being a team bonding experience, selling trees provides the baseball players with a hands-on understanding of how to interact with customers and manage sales. Sophomore outfielder Caiden Inglehart enjoys the entrepreneurial spirit surrounding the lot. “[Working with my friends] is a fun experience and you get a lot of work experience getting to see how to sell things,” said Inglehart.
Emil Rameriz, freshman and catcher on the team, agrees that he has benefited from the experience of working at the lot.“It is very enjoyable interacting with the customers,” Rameriz said.All of the boys expressed hope and anticipation for their upcoming season, in a variety of areas. Rameriz is optimistic about this year, and the team’s potential success. “I hope […] we have a winning record and maybe get a CIF championship,” Rameriz said.
Overall, the athletes are thankful for the opportunity they were granted, and look forward to the coming months, as Kroetz added wishes for personal improvement as well. “I hope to have a good season, definitely get a lot better,” Kroetz said. This years’ Christmas tree lot was a success, and the team hopes to keep this almost thirty year tradition alive for many years to come.
