Athletes of the Issue: Chris Borter: Charismatic Captain

Maeve Stauff ’21

Hopkins Varsity Baseball Captain Chris Borter ’19 joined the team freshman year, but initially started playing baseball when he was three years old.

Hopkins Varsity Baseball Captain Chris Borter ’19 joined the team freshman year, but initially started playing baseball when he was three years old. During his first two years on the team, he was primarily a shortstop. However, as many pitchers graduated, he explained, “We really needed a pitcher at the end of my sophomore year.” He continued, “I think I have evolved into a pretty dominant pitcher because the team has helped me have trust in everyone in the lineup, with people making contributions left and right. We’ve all stepped up.” With his 90 mph fastball, Borter’s years of dedication and passion for the sport have molded him to become the team’s main pitcher.

For Borter, baseball is a huge part of his life. “Before every game, I write my grandfather’s initials in the dirt on the mound before I pitch because he was one of my biggest role models and one of the main reasons I’ve come to love baseball. I still feel like he’s at the field with me whenever I play.” Borter explained how his pre-game ritual motivates him before he plays. Borter pitches not only for Hopkins, but also to celebrate the memory of his grandfather.

Borter spends lots of time in the batting cages to perfect his swing, and countless hours to improve his grip and timing of throwing each ball.

Last year, he was voted to be a junior captain along with Jake Rizzuti ’18 because of “his serious approach to the game, leadership skills, and competitive work ethic,” Coach Rocco DeMaio explained. His confidence in himself and the team has led him to be the leader he is today. Teammate Jordan Shand ’19 explained, “He instills a sense of confidence in each player during our pregame speeches that creates an atmosphere that we will beat any team that steps on the same field as us 30-0.”

As a captain, Borter feels honored to have led the team for two years. He leads by example and encourages his teammates to play with confidence. Borter explained, “you have to have a short-term memory. You can’t think about mistakes because the best players fail most of the time. If you’re not confident, or are playing scared, you’re going destroy yourself.” However, his experience on the baseball team has had its ups and downs. Last year, in the FAA championship against Brunswick, they suffered a devastating loss. He explained, “Losing in the finals last year was a terrible feeling and not being able to get a championship for Rizzuti before he graduated was even worse.” Borter, along with co-captains Jack Dove ’19, and Kyle Meury ’19, have worked very hard to ensure that they won’t feel this way again. Their hard work has paid off as they’re the #1 seed in the FAA playoffs.

This season has been remarkably successful for the baseball team, which has lost only one league game. As a result of Borter’s charisma, the Hilltoppers approach the playoffs with confidence. “Borter just has that confident mentality where he’ll always find a way to win. It has rubbed off on a lot of the guys this year and I think it is one of the reasons why we are so successful” said teammate Phil Delise ’20. Next year, Borter will continue his baseball career at the Division-III level at Middlebury College.

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Athletes of the Issue: Chris Borter: Charismatic Captain