Sunday March 24th, 2024
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An interview with Pure Sports/Monsta/Bad Draw’s Heath Barnes

 

 

 

Heath Barnes

USSSA Playing History

GoSoftball.com Player Page

Interview conducted on 12/1/2017

Who are you playing with in 2017?
PURE/MONSTA/BAD DRAW

What positions do you play and what is your best position?
SS, Mid, 2nd, CF
Wherever is best for the team

Who is the best softball player you have ever seen play?
Way too many to name. The things that the players can do at this level is amazing.

Why do you like the game of softball?
I like the competition, the friendships and the traveling. I've made a lot of friends playing this game and I've been a lot of places I would have never been if it wasn't for softball.

Who is the best up and coming player in softball and why?
Cody Gaskill played college ball with him if he wasn't a college baseball coach no doubt in my mind that he would be able to play with almost any team at he conference level.

John Bilbrey he has all the tools lefty that can run, hits for power and has a cannon from the outfield.

Logan Williams one of the best hitters in TN has tons of pop and cuts it has good as anybody.

Ben Gambill have played a lot of games with him and he is a difference maker on the mound. Throws some nasty stuff.

What is your nickname in softball and how did you get it?
Heater got it playing with CTS a C team from TN and it has pretty much stuck ever since.

What is your height and weight?
6 ft 155

Where do you call home?
Winchester, Tennessee

What's your favorite way to spend an off weekend?
On the lake

What do you do for a living?
Pest Control and Landscaping

Did you play sports in High School / College / Pro?
HS played Baseball, Basketball, and Golf
4 years of  College Baseball

How did you get your start in softball and how did you get to the upper level?
Started playing in local COED tourneys and leagues during the summer while playing college ball. Played with Chad Ferrell in D and he made a call to Jason Baxter and Tommy Bain with CA Sports played with them in a couple tourneys at the end of the year. Shaun Ballard played with us and ever since then if Ballard called an asked me to play I went.

What was the most surprising difference between Conference play and non-Conference play when you made the jump?
1. The overall speed of the game.
2. The way everything is scheduled.
3. The umpires are 100 times better.
4. There is hardly ever any arguing between teams.
5. Everything can be looked up about the Conference DW does a heck of a job.

What would you say is your career highlight to this point? Maybe one play or game that sticks out to you in particular?
I would say last year at the Cincy Major the run we made with Buffalo Wings and Rings/ Cornerstone where we opened up beating Precision, then beating Dan Smith on a three run triple from Kyle Bowers and then battling SIS/Thunder to the last inning.

In your career was there a single person (player/manager/coach) who had the most significant impact on your approach to the game? Why?
Shaun Ballard by far the best hitter I've ever played with. He is always pushing me to be better and always telling me how to be a better hitter. Might as well call Ballard my agent.
Chad Ferrell one of the best players I've played with and even better person that got me playing with Jason Baxter
The Wolfpack a group of local friends that all play that would be there for me in any situation .
Ben Gambill he has always shared his knowledge with me about the game and has always been one of my biggest motivators and someone that will give his honest opinion even if it was something I didn't wanna hear.

What advice can you give a young player trying to break into the upper level?
Best advice I can give if u get the opportunity to play up GO PLAY no matter how far from home it is. I've never seen anybody get picked up if they didn't go prove themselves.
2nd watch how people play listen to the guys that have been playing up.
3rd always have your teammates back nobody likes an I guy.
4th pick up a Pure Sports bat they are hotter than fish grease.

What type of batting grip do you use and what ounce bat?
Two fingers off the knob and 25 or 26 balanced

What do you do in the offseason to prepare for the next softball season?
Hit, hit and hit some more

What is your favorite sports team and your favorite sport other than softball?
College Sports THA U
Favorite Sport is Baseball

Do you have any superstitions and if so, what are they?
I wear the same undershirt every tourney, I guess you could say it is my lucky charm. and I have a necklace charm with my number and a glove that I never take off.

What would be your "at bat" music selection?
45  By SHINEDOWN
They Just Don't Know By Gyft

What is the best improvement upper level softball could make?
Do away with the Stadium ball.

What is your favorite non-World tournament and why?
HERALD CHRONICLE in Winchester TN its in my home town and has been going on for 40 years, Starts Friday night and pretty much runs non stop til Sunday night.

Cincy Major the atmosphere is awesome, Love the way the park is set up.

What is the best softball field/complex you have played at and why?
Mansfield TX Big League Dreams its the only BLD fields I have played at. The amount of money and design they put into those complexes is amazing.

Where is the best place to eat on the road after a game?
Anywhere u can get a good steak.

What is the funniest thing you have ever seen on a softball field?
Was playing in D state and in the Winners Bracket final game. Cody Gaskill had been wearing a boonie hat all day and as he stepped in the box the umpire told him his hat was illegal, I started walking up to get his hat and he told me to stop he took his hat off tucked it in his shorts and as the pitch was coming he yelled out "this should be illegal" and chili dipped one over 1st that landed right on the line. Our whole dugout just lost it.
 


2 responses to “An interview with Pure Sports/Monsta/Bad Draw’s Heath Barnes”

  1. Ballard says:

    Heath is gonna go far in this game. He kills it and will be the best defensive guy wherever you put him. Hope him the best!!

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