When Matthew Bondy goes to Siena Heights University this fall, beginning his post-secondary education and his career as a member of the Saints’ baseball team, it’ll serve as somewhat of a fresh start for him.
“I actually like it, just going by myself,” Bondy says of going away to school on his own. “I’d love to go with buddies, but I like just going my own way and pushing myself and working my hardest.”
Bondy, who is 6' tall and weighs 190 lbs, plays third base and pitches for the Windsor Selects 18U.
A coach at Siena Heights noticed him when the Selects played the Saints last fall. The coach asked Bondy to join the team for a practice; he accepted the invitation and was eventually given an offer from the school.
Exposure to colleges and universities is one thing the Windsor Selects organization prides itself on.
Bondy says playing in high profile tournaments — often with close to 100 teams — and being part of the Premier Baseball League of Ontario helps players like himself gain valuable looks from coaches.
Though he admits academics weren’t his strongest suit in high school, the General Amherst grad knows exactly where his priorities lie at Siena Heights.
“I’m not going to party, I’m not going to do anything like that,” says Bondy, who will be taking a four-year program for sports management. “It’s going to be just school and sports for me.”