Baseball slides, dives and runs through the veins of NSU baseball shortstop Alvin Swoope, a redshirt freshman majoring in sports and recreation management. The sport has been passed down from generation to generation by the male members of his family, creating a special bond.
“My whole family on my mom’s side plays baseball. My uncle, Louis Cruz, was kind of a local star. My grandfather played Double-A for the Yankees,” said Swoope.
Swoope, as he’s known to his friends and teammates, grew up in Port St. Lucie, Fla. and attended Treasure Coast High School. His love of the game started well before high school thanks to his uncle, whom he considers his biggest role model.
“I have been playing baseball since I could remember. I was like four or five playing T-ball,” said Swoope. “[My uncle] played the father role. He took me everywhere; he was always hitting groundballs [to me]. He definitely fueled my love for the game.”
Swoope was a standout baseball player in high school, playing all four years and earning Perfect Game All-American Honorable Mention honors and All-State Honorable Mention in 2012.
After graduating from high school, Swoope took his talents to Florida State University for one year, where he only got to see the field in three games. The lack of playing time in his first year hindered him enough to the point where he felt it was the right move to find a new place to play.
“I just wanted to play. I feel like I have the ability to play this game at a high level. And to be able to do that, you need to be on the field. The coaches and the guys here are great. I felt like it was a good move and in my best interest to go somewhere where I felt I would be appreciated and I appreciated what the coaches and school could do for me,” said Swoope. “I’m happy with my decision. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Early into the 2014 season, his teammates and his head coach have to be proud with the production Swoope has been able to manage in seven games, including a .370 batting average with one home run and four runs batted in. The team will look to build upon its fast start and continue winning.
I sat down with Swoope to find out more about this stand-out transfer athlete.
What would you like to do with your degree?
“I want to get into sports journalism; if sports don’t work out, I’m into writing, too. That’s the plan.”
What has been your most memorable moment playing baseball?
“Right now, I would say hitting my first collegiate home run. At first, I didn’t even know it was a home run. I was sprinting around the bases and actually stopped at second, because I thought it was off the wall. Kind of a rookie move, but hopefully I get more.”
How would you describe yourself as a player?
“Very instinctual. I try my best not to think a lot. I been playing this game for a long time and I feel it’s easier to just play it naturally. Not to think so much and just react.”
What would you consider to be your strengths?
“I would say I’m quick. I have power for my size.”
Weaknesses?
“I’m working on weaknesses, like keeping that mental toughness. It’s a 50-game season, a long season, and I know there are going to be times of failure and success and you just have to keep that level-headedness, not get too high or not get too low and just stay the course.“
Do you have any rituals or superstitions?
“I like to listen to the same song before every game, Drake’s “Worst Behavior”; it gets me into, not a cocky mindset, but a confident one. I like to eat buffalo chicken the night before every game too. I don’t wear the same underwear or anything crazy like that.”
What MLB pitcher would you most like to face, past or present?
“I would say Randy Johnson. I want to see what that fastball is like.”
Who is your favorite athlete?
“Derek Jeter.”
Who is your favorite team?
“[New York] Yankees, of course.”
What is your favorite movie?
“‘Step Brothers.’”
In a movie about your life, who would play you?
“I like to think of myself as a different type of guy, so maybe I would play myself.”
