Wednesday March 27th, 2024
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An interview with "4 The Fallen"/3N2 outfielder Matt Suder

Matt Suder

USSSA Playing History

GoSoftball.com Player Page

Who are you playing with in 2012?
4 The Fallen

What branch of service did you serve or are currently serving in?
USAF/USAFR

What years did you serve?
USAF – 88-98/USAFR – 98 – Present

What is the highest rank you have acheived?
TSgt

What was or is your military occupation?
Admin

What deployments have you been a part of?
OEF in Afghanistan and OIF in Iraq

What base or installations have you been assigned to?
Nellis AFB, NV/MacDill AFB FL/Netherlands

Why do you like the game of softball?
I would say the competition and camaraderie

Who is the best softball player you have ever seen play?
You may of heard of him, a guy named Dennis Rulli.  He has passion for the game and gives 110%.  Not to mention he's a Hall of Famer…

Who is the best up and coming player in softball and why?
There are many GOOD up and coming ball players.  Hard to just pick one.  I would have to say outfielder Miles Bush or as I call him "Miles Fench" of "ELF" fame.  Miles has unlimited potential and can go get it in the outfield as well as hit for average and power
 
What is your nickname in softball? 

Matty

Where do you call home?
I reside in sunny San Diego but I call West "by God" Virginia home.

What's your favorite way to spend an off weekend?
Spending time with my wife and daughter whether we're playing a board game, going to the movies or watching my daughter play volleyball, water-polo, or softball.

What do you do for a living?
I work for the Navy as a DOD civilian

Did you play sports in High School / College / Pro?
Yes.  Played Baseball in HS and European equivalent of AA in Europe for the Rosmalan Knuppalars.

How did you get your start in softball and how did you get to the upper level?
When baseball became too time consuming I had to satisfy my fix somehow so I started playing military base level softball.  I guess you can say I've run the gambit.  Getting my start with military softball, transitioning to civilian ball ranging from E up to B.  More recently I've played almost exclusively Over 40 ball with JK Inc which is pretty competitive.  We're playing with and against many players you see in the conference.

What was the best advice you were ever given?
"Do your job and take care of yourself".  Wilson Fieck.

What advice can you give a young player trying to break into the upper level?
See above…if every player follows this simple advice the team will become a force to be reckoned with.

What position do you play?
Anywhere in the OF just keep me out of the infield…lol

What batting grip do you use?
Standard Baseball grip.

What ounce bat do you use?
27oz

What do you do in the offseason to prepare for the next softball season?
Initially just get away from the game.  After about a month of decompression I'll start taking cuts once a week until March then hitting twice a week. Cardio and lifting however are year round.

What is your favorite sport other than softball?
Football

Do you have any superstitions and if so, what are they? 
Yes, I don't step on the chalk.

What is your most memorable softball moment?
In 2005 myself Artie and Jimmy Salas picked up with TAI out of So Cal for the USSSA C Worlds in Georgia.  120 plus teams in the sweltering humidity of the south.  We come out and promptly lose our first game and rightly so the coach/sponsor is unhappy to put it lightly.  Anyway, we re-group and barely squeak by in the first two games of the suitcase bracket and correct me if I'm wrong Eric, we lose our pitcher in the 3rd game to a offline throw to first.  Eric Esty is taken out while running to first by a missile thrown by the SS.  He is out before he hit the ground with a fractured skull.  Now with one guy in the hospital and one game from going home we're thinking we should have stayed in So Cal and played at the Yard.  But, we regrouped and after a team visit to the hospital we realize we might has well pull together and see how much damage we can do.  Well, after as a team, consuming every possible potassium, anti cramp, and energy concoction you can think of from bananas, to pickles, to pickle juice, pedialite, mustard , ketchup, as well as ephedra to name a few we managed to send one by one 9 more teams home and make it back to the championship game to face a team out of NC that I think have played maybe 5 or 6 games total.   I wish I could tell you we ended up winning it all but as we took the field for that championship game the coach/sponsor said if we pull this off he would give every player a great incentive package.  At that point we all used what ever energy we had left to cheer and proceeded to get our rear-ends handed to us.  Oh, and following our last game we had to rush another player to the hospital for chest pains which turned out to be ephedra driven.  I still see the guys from that team from time to time and we are all in agreement… that has got to be one of if not the most memorable softball moments for us all.

What would be your "at bat" music selection?
"Country Boy Can Survive" Hank Williams Jr.

What is the best improvement upper level softball could make?
Leave it the same.
 
What is your favorite non-World tournament?

I would say Toys 4 Tots hands down.  Great job Dennis

What is the best softball field you have played at and why?
Cracker Jack Stadium.  Lot's of holes to hit.

Where is the best place to eat on the road after a game?
Firehouse Subs

What is the funniest thing you have ever seen on a softball field?
A player cramped up during game and half the team mocked the poor guy as he flailed around like a fish out of water.

 


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