July 22, 2008
BOISE, Idaho -
Greetings, Illini fans! It's Mike Sterk coming to you all the way from Boise (pronounced boy-see, not boy-z, much to my surprise), Idaho. I have been out here since June 11 and I must say it has been an incredible experience since day one.
It started when Coach Snider presented me with the opportunity to travel out west early last year. The recruiting coordinator of the Boise Summer League sent e-mails to coaches all over the country and fortunately for me, the e-mail fell into my hands.
I was hesitant at first because I didn't know anything about Idaho, but excited because it was an opportunity for me to go away for the summer and play baseball. A lot of the excitement stems from Joe Bonadonna's obsession with the Northwoods League, so I figured I should go away to see if summer ball away from home is all that he makes it out to be.
So on June 10 at 10 a.m., I packed up my SUV with my dad and drove 31 consecutive hours through Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, and finally, Idaho to arrive at my destination. Talk about serious bonding.
After a couple days of helping me get acclimated to my new situation, my dad took a plane back to Chicago and left me all alone...in Idaho. I must say, though, that this experience has been nothing but positive.
As of today my team, the Nampa Outlaws, is in first place of the Sawtooth division with a record of 16-4. I am pitching well with a record of 4-0 and a 3.33 ERA in 5 starts. If all goes according to plan, we should be competing for the championship on August 9.
Although the baseball aspect is great out here, the off days are equally as much fun. A teammate of mine, Austin, plays for the University of Utah and is a Boise local. He has taken the liberty to show me and a few other guys everything you need to see in this area.
The downtown area is beautiful and sits at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. I have played touch football on the blue turf at Boise State University, cliff dove into Lucky Peak lake at 35 feet, and jumped off a rope swing from 45 feet into the Payatt river, among other things. There are just so many recreation activities in this part of the country.
This Saturday, we have a whitewater rafting trip set up in the mountains and my brothers will be arriving for a visit just in time. Don't worry, Coach Hartleb, I'll wear a life jacket!
