The Branson baseball team has big ambitions for the season; they’re excited to compete against larger schools in the league while also dominating in its North Coast Section Division 5 competition.
Branson is strong within its own NCS division. In a March 8 game against Drew School in San Francisco, another D5 school, Branson “got a 10-0 lead in the first inning,” said Steve Reinertsen, head coach of the Branson baseball team. The Bulls won the game 13-1.
Branson is by far the smallest school in the Marin County Athletic League, but the team is eager to compete against larger schools in the county.
“We play Redwood, Tam and Marin Catholic. It’s such a privilege to play against that level of competition,” Reinertsen said.
In addition to playing competitively against schools with four times the student body, the players on Branson’s baseball team are incredibly tight-knit, despite the lack of a junior varsity team that existed last season.
“It’s a fun thing to hang out with people who play the same sport,” said Joshua Chang ‘28, a second baseman and shortstop.
While some players lose interest in a sport without a JV team, most of the underclassmen, including Chang, consistently show up to practice despite not getting much playing time.
“I tip my hat to [the bench players]. They must really love baseball because there’s not a JV team. They can’t play regularly,” said Reinertsen.
However, without a JV team, a mixture of experience and newfound excitement is created on one team, whereas in a sport with varsity and JV contingents, that combo may be lost.
“There’s a two-way street where the bench guys are humble and optimistic and the starters are aware. Some people are very experienced and very competent and others are on the path to that,” Reinertsen said.
Whether you are a senior on the team who plays every game or a ninth-grader who is just getting started, everyone is putting a lot of effort into the sport. Reinertsen encourages students to stop by College of Marin to see the Bulls in action.
“If there’s ever a day where [your schedule] opens up and there’s a home game at College of Marin, swing by,” said Steve Reinertsen.
