One change that came for the Roseville High School baseball team with the switch from coach Lance Fisher to coach Greg Zanolli was changing the fourth period athletic PE from “strongly suggested” to optional.

As more players opt to take a traditional class or elective, the team has experienced a drop in the amount of players enrolled in the class.

Senior Blake Beaman, who was in the class last year and is so again this year, finds that the class has helped him get back into better shape for baseball and gives him time to practice despite his limited time due to his involvement in basketball.

“I think it’s beneficial to take as we do go out and throw or hit sometimes,” Beaman said. “I don’t have a lot of time after school to do the extra weight lifting because of basketball, so it helps to get in there fourth period and put some work in preperation for the season.

Beaman also feels that the class gives players who play winter sports the chance to get their foot in the door early, when they normally would have been caught behind.

“Normally basketball season runs into baseball season, so we don’t really get the chance to have three weeks of practice before our first game, and this year it may be cut even closer because of playoffs,” Beaman said. “Even though we don’t fully participate in the class we get to loosen up our arms and hit off of tees a little bit so that hopefully we can hit the ground running when the season starts.

Senior Joe Cirrinicione, who was in the class last year but did not continue this year, believes that not being in the class put him a step behind the players in the class, but Zanolli has provided many opportunities to have him and others not in the class catch up and better prepare for the upcoming season.

“Not being in the class has definitely put me behind my teammates that are in the class slightly, but coach has been good about making sure that everyone – including players not in the class, have the same opportunities to get the off season work in,” Cirrincione said. “It’s definitely beneficial because basketball and baseball are two totally different sports, and being able to do both at the same time will help me have a good senior season.”

Cirrincione also believes that although the whole team is not together, their team chemistry will be unwavered going into the season.

“I don’t think our team chemistry will be hurt from this,” Cirrincione said. “We’ve all played with each other for years and have grown very close, and just because some guys are in the class and some aren’t doesn’t mean that our chemistry will be affected.”

Beaman agrees with the Cirrincione, stating that due to the travel baseball most play outside of the class together, the team remains as close as ever, even with the addition of a brand new coach.

“I think our team chemistry will be fine. We played fall ball together and we all gelled really well, and that is something that I think will benefit us during the season,” Beaman said. “Our coach is a great guy and fits in very well with all of us.”