Iron Gator Challenge Results Announced
Wednesday, October 15, 2014 | Baseball
The University of Florida baseball team has concluded its six-week 2014 Iron Gator Challenge and will start fall practice on Thursday, Oct. 16, at McKethan Stadium. The off-season started with the quote: “You have to hate losing more than you love winning.”
There are many gifted individuals and teams in the country, but the question posed by Gators' Strength & Conditioning Coordinator Paul Chandler is: “How many players are willing to put the hard work in, day-in and day-out, to maximize their talent?” Our edge here at the University of Florida baseball is old-school hard work.
Head coach Kevin O'Sullivan's team participated in several challenging and diverse events during the Iron Gator Challenge, including the 20-pound plate pinch, towel hang, 100-pound dumbbell holds, 70-yard board push, team tug-of-war, 60 seconds of sit-ups, team medicine ball relay, 45-pound plate holds, bar hang, 70-yard, 200-pound sled push, prowler push, 50-yard freestyle swim, iron cross holds, 40-yard board push and 300-pound sled push.
What have you seen from your fellow Gator teammates this off-season that surprised you?
“Every single guy on this team battled, nobody gave up. This was the best fall since I've been here in terms of guys just competing in the weight room. This entire off-season will help us as a team tremendously going into the spring.” – Senior infielder Josh Tobias
What does it mean to you to win the position-player competition for the second year in a row?
“It gives me some confidence going into our fall season and into the spring. It was a really tough grind and it proved to me that this team and I are battle-tested and ready to play some baseball.” – Junior outfielder Harrison Bader
How do you think the Iron Gator Challenge helps prepare pitchers, both mentally and physically?
“Physically, it's obvious. After a workout, our muscles are tired since we went through some difficult workouts. Mentally, we have to forget about a bad event one day and come back the next day ready to compete. This is just like pitching, if we make a bad pitch we have to lock in and focus on the very next pitch. The same goes from inning-to-inning and game-to-game. – Sophomore right-hander Logan Shore
Overall Team Standings
| Team Poyner | 114 |
| Team Shore | 86 |
| Team Tobias | 70 |
| Team Bader | 58 |
Top Five Gator Pitchers
| Shaun Anderson | 103 |
| Tyler Deel | 84 |
| Logan Browning | 74 |
| Dane Dunning | 64 |
| Mike Vinson | 64 |
Top Five Gator Position Players
| Harrison Bader | 90 |
| Josh Tobias | 88 |
| Mark Kolozsvary | 80 |
| Richie Martin | 76 |
| Ryan Larson | 62 |
Iron Gator Challenge Winners
· 2005: Pitcher – Darren O'Day; Position Player – Chris Woods
· 2006: Pitcher – Tony Davis; Position Player – Avery Barnes
· 2007: Pitcher – Tony Davis; Position Player – Avery Barnes
· 2008: Pitcher – Tony Davis; Position Player – Jonathan Pigott
· 2009: Pitcher – Kevin Chapman; Position Player – Matt den Dekker
· 2010: Pitcher – Justin Poovey; Position Player – Kamm Washington
· 2011: Pitcher – Jonathon Crawford; Position Player – Nolan Fontana
· There was no competition held in 2012
· 2013: Pitcher – Brett Morales; Position Player – Harrison Bader
· 2014: Pitcher – Shaun Anderson; Position Player – Harrison Bader
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