Dear Phoenix Club Member,
My name is Jimmy Broderick, and I am a Senior Shortstop for the Elon Baseball Team from Wellesley, Massachusetts. I am majoring in Sport Management with a minor in Strategic Communications, and I am excited to share with you what I love about Elon.
The first thing I noticed when I stepped on campus here at Elon was the closeness and supportiveness of the community. I’ll start with my professors. The level of engagement and support from my professors is simply unmatched. From facilitating discussions in class, to one-on-one meetings to continue a class conversation, the professors here truly care about expanding our education. However, their support does not end in the classroom, and often, those same professors are the ones cheering the loudest at a weekend game. Secondly, our coaches have gone above and beyond to facilitate a program focused on developing us to be the best versions of ourselves everyday while pursuing the goal of on-field success. Their leadership has a positive impact on all of us involved in the program. Our academic support team also goes above and beyond to make sure we are having as much success off the field as we are on the field, helping us create a great foundation for our careers after college. These people support us in such an incredible way on a daily basis, and these relationships are what makes Elon such an incredible place for student-athletes like me.
One of the most beneficial aspects of our baseball program is our brand-new, state-of-the-art hitting facility that opened in the fall of 2022. We are grateful every day for the generous support given by donors who helped fund such an incredible asset to our program. My teammates and I practically live in there, constantly working on our swings and trying to find better ways to succeed on the field. That success is evident within one year of the hitting facilities being used, with our team average jumping up 48 points and having one of our most successful seasons in recent history in 2023. From a personal standpoint, I experienced some of the most positive offensive jumps in my career, and I credit much of it to my time in the hitting facility.
Some of my best memories on the field were beating number 2 ranked Wake Forest in front of a full crowd at Latham Park and feeling the embrace and support of the community for weeks after. Taking down Kentucky on opening day and beating a top 25 ranked NC State on the road were also incredible experiences. The best thing about a big win is celebrating it with your teammates, and with a new season just getting started, we are excited for some new amazing moments.
I want to personally thank you for supporting student-athletes like me in chasing our dreams and helping us strive for our greatest potential. With your support for Elon Athletics, you directly provide us with the opportunity to succeed in our sport and our academic careers. Without the support you have provided, I would not be where I am today, and I am forever grateful for all the experiences I have had at Elon. Thank you for your generosity, kindness, and most of all, your belief in Elon student-athletes. It means more than you will ever know!
Go Phoenix!
Jimmy Broderick