Jason Serafinchon is currently enjoying a great freshman season down in Nebraska, at McCook CC. "Finchy" has trained at AHP since the early days, way back in 2018 and was an integral member of the first AHP Baseball Academy Team last season. Jason is enjoying both individual success (hitting .340 with 5 home runs, 30 RBI, and a 1.025 OPS) as well as team success (McCook is 30-20 overall and 19-12 in conference play). We sat down with him to see how things are going!

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Hey Jason, thanks a lot for taking the time to catch up a little bit. You and the team are having a really solid season. What's been the best part so far?

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"Hey Taylor, yes the team and I have had a really solid season so far. It's been really exciting and enjoyable to be a part of. The best part has to be the coming together of people from all around the world to play baseball and compete at a high level together."

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You're hitting for average, power, and your BB/K rate is really solid. Can you talk a little bit about what you feel like you've been doing to have success you are as a freshman?

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I think the key to success for me has been consistency and balance. Not just baseball but everything I do in life. From getting schoolwork done on time, to making sure I get in the weight room, and extra hitting work. But the other big thing to balance is having fun and enjoying the college experience. Keeping all of that consistent is key for me.

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And then once in game it's about making key opportunities count. When there's someone in scoring position the approach is to move them 90 feet minimum. Or when it's late in game and we are down, simply finding a way to help the team come back and win.

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It's been awesome following you, and we're excited to see what you and the team can do in the post-season! Let's back things up a little bit. You were part of #Team1, the inaugural AHP Academy Baseball team. What was your favourite memory?

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"Team 1 is and will be one of my core memories I'll have for life. The bonds and friendships that have come from that year are something I'll forever be grateful for. I have two favourite memories. The first would just be the long hours spent in AHP 2.0 lifting and hitting, and hanging out with my teammates. My second favourite memory would be the Las Vegas trip and winning the Perfect Game Tournament. The trip as a whole: being on the bus with teammates, playing on the way down, and of course winning. Oh and hitting two big home runs in the tourney."

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Love it. Can you maybe talk about how (and if) the Academy prepared you for college baseball.

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"The Academy prepared me even more than I realized once I got down here. I was expecting it to be a harsh reality, however, it almost felt normal and natural. From our college-style practices with the Academy, to the way we went about travel, games, weight room, etc it all made it easy to be accustomed to things down here. Furthermore, being 22 hours away from home is hard. I was warned the fall was going to be tough, and it was. But I had skills and techniques that helped that came from my experience with AHP and our mental game talks."

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Lastly, if you were talking to a 16 year old player and his parents, why should they choose the Academy?

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It's funny because I've met people and told them this. I tell them AHP has the best coaching staff in Western Canada. The experience of the program and their want and effort to help you achieve your goals is unmatched. Plus, surrounding yourself with peers who have similar goals helps you push each other to get there. Taylor, Connor, and Ethan, all bring an energy to training and the game that's unlike anyone else's.

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They also have a brand new, unreal facility. Taylor himself programs individualized workouts to help you achieve your goals. For me, as an example, I needed to lose weight. I had programs that helped me do just that while also getting way stronger and faster.

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I wouldn't be where I am without the academy and that's why they're the best possible program for any kid looking to reach his goals."

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