Cru & A | Mateo Calle

Calle

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 What is your career goal and why?    
First off, I am expecting to graduate in the spring of 2022. After that, I am looking for a baseball coaching job at the college or high school level. If for any reason I can't get into coaching, I would start looking into business which is the degree I graduated with and what I am doing with my master's right now. Besides that, I am looking to make an impact here at UMHB as a player and as a person. 



   Why did you choose UMHB?   
I chose UMHB because it is a great place where I could get my master's and play baseball. Also, after I spent the last three years up in Chicago, I decided that it would be good to make a little change in the culture and the weather as well. Moreover, the fact that the head baseball coach is Coach Stawski, who I already played for previously, also influenced me to come down to UMHB and have a great experience.



Tell us about growing up in Colombia. 
Well… I am an only child and I grew up only with my mom. My great-grandparents had 13 kids and they have multiple kids, so I had plenty of cousins to play with and be around. On the other hand, growing up in Colombia was fun but a little difficult since there are not many opportunities to have a good future and a decent life. The only way out is through sports. However, I think that the biggest difference between growing up in Colombia compared to the U.S. is that the U.S. is a country that provides a lot of opportunities to succeed, all people need to do is work hard and eventually the hard work pays off. In Colombia instead, labor is much unappreciated, there is corruption everywhere and unless you know some in the government who can recommend you for a job, you might not be able to get a good job.



What is baseball like there? 
Baseball down there is fun, but after you turn 16 years old, it becomes more like a job since the only way to keep playing after high school is make it to the pro level. Therefore, after you turn 16 years old, you have to start working to get signed as a free agent and that sometimes includes dropping out of high school. Fortunately, I didn't drop out of high school and once I was done with it I got the opportunity to come to the States and play college baseball. Furthermore, I think there is a huge difference in baseball here compared to down there. I believe baseball is played in a smarter way here which allows a lot of players to keep playing after high school even if they do not have professional tools and be able to potentially develop those tools through college and professionally. On the other hand, in Colombia, baseball is more about hitting and catching the ball. If you can throw hard or run fast you might have a chance to go to the next level. Finally, I one-hundred percent believe that being able to play at both places Colombia as the U.S. made me a better player as well as being part of good baseball programs throughout my college career.  


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