By Gavin Titherington
Staying close to home seems like a reasonable option when looking into colleges. For some, it’s about being close to family and friends. Others it’s to keep working at a local job while attending college at the same time. For Sean Houck, it was not only about staying in proximity to his family and friends but also about baseball.
Growing up with a passion for the sport, Houck has developed unique relationships with coaches and trainers alike. Houck feels like staying close to home is the best path for him to take to further his baseball career. “Being local helps me stay in contact with everyone that I grew up playing with and being able to keep working with the coaches I have worked with my whole life.”
Utilizing connections he has developed through his time growing up in Royal Palm Beach, Houck chose to study and to play baseball at Palm Beach Atlantic University. In his Junior year, which was cut short due to unforeseen circumstances (COVID-19), he batted .338 in the shortened season. Through all of the training and hard work, Houck was starting to show his true colors in his condensed time on the diamond.
Houck realized how important staying on top of his game was, and because of his goals to one day play in the big leagues, he needed to get back out on the diamond. The Collegiate League of the Palm Beaches was a natural choice for Sean to participate in. Not only is the league near his residence in Royal Palm Beach, but the competitive nature of the league and the quality of baseball really drew him in. “It is close to home, and I heard there was a lot of good talent playing in it, and it is one of the few leagues that are open.” Sean hopes to improve in all aspects of his game in preparation for next season and get his name out there for the world to see.