Gian Gladig is a high performer on the Wil Devils NLA baseball team. In an interview with the Sports and Infrastructure department, he reveals what connects him to the sport and why baseball is so unique to him.
Gian Gladig is a high performer on the Wil Devils NLA baseball team.
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What connects you in particular with the sports town of Wil?
The main thing that connects me to Wil is baseball and through baseball I’ve also made friends. In addition to baseball, I’m in Wil when I’m invited to friends who I know mainly from baseball. So for me, Wil is my personal baseball town.
How and why did you find your way into baseball?
When I was two years old and later when I was about six years old, I was already in the USA with my parents. My younger brother and I came into contact with the sport there and fell in love with it straight away. Back in Switzerland I started my baseball career with the Romanshorn Submarines. A season later, in 1999, my father founded the Wittenbach Vikings club, where I spent the rest of my youth time. When I got older and Wittenbach didn’t have a senior team yet, I switched to Wil, where I’ve been playing since about 2007.
What makes baseball so unique to you?
Baseball is a very tactical, technical and mental sport. There are always small competitions between two or more players at the same time and you have to be mentally there at all times. When batting, you fight the pitcher, trying to read him and hit the ball perfectly. At the same time, the pitcher tries to trick the batsman. I like to compare it to a penalty shoot-out in soccer. In the field, on the other hand, the competitions take place with the opposing runners on the bases and you always have to be ready for a hit ball. Even if you haven’t hit a ball for half the game, the one that comes up has to be played correctly. This combination of tactics and mental struggle as well as the constant development of hitting and throwing techniques makes baseball unique.
What was your greatest success for you?
My biggest success was reaching the national team and playing in the 2019 European Championship qualifier in Slovakia with my brother.
What do you think it takes to become a successful baseball player?
Will and passion describe it best. Baseball is a failing sport and you never stop honing your technique. Only with passion and will can you find the mental strength to become good at baseball.
What do you still want to achieve in sport?
I definitely want to win the Swiss championship title with the Wil Pirates. Since Switzerland is playing in the A-Pool European Championship for the first time this season, I want to make it into the squad for the European Championship.
What have you always wanted to do?
A lot. There are so many exciting sports and experiences that I still want to do. I’ve already done a lot like bungee jumping or skydiving. A big dream but still on the list is to see gorillas in the wild.
2023-06-28 19:08:54
#Wil #personal #baseball #town
