USA Baseball recently caught up with Bryce Eldridge, who is fresh off a gold medal at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup back in September. The following is a Q&A to reflect on his time with Team USA.
USAB: Since winning gold at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, what has life been like since being back home?
BE: “There was so much support from my hometown when I got home, and not just for me but for all my teammates as well. I think people understood what a special experience it was for me to be able to represent our country. I was flooded with so much positivity and even came home to a sign in my front yard. When I went into local restaurants, I had people going out of their way to tell me congratulations and how proud they were of me. I also got to go talk to my high school team and some little league teams and share my experience.”
USAB: Aside from winning gold, what was your favorite memory of the World Cup?
BE: “I think the best part about the World Cup was getting the hang out with all my teammates at the hotel. You know, after a game or before a game, we would all would just talk about baseball or just goof off and have some fun with each other. It was a close-knit group of kids, and we were inseparable.”
USAB: If you could describe winning a gold medal for team USA in one word, what would it be?
BE: “Surreal. It’s something that not many people have accomplished. It’s a feeling that everyone dreams of. Not many people get to see that dream through, and I did which was so awesome.”
USAB: What was it like putting on that USA uniform for the first time?
BE: “I had goosebumps. It was a such cool feeling, I felt like a million bucks. You should see my camera roll; I have like 100 selfies and pictures of me. It was such a cool experience.”
USAB: You recently signed your National Letter of Intent to play at Alabama next year. What is your biggest takeaway from playing for Team USA that you feel like you can take with you to the next stage of your career?
BE: “Just knowing that how good a team can be when you're tight-knit and have a good group of leaders. It can be it can be something special for not just a team or a sport, but also for a workplace. It was cool to be a part of, and I think I can take that with me moving forward and understand what it takes to be a winner. I hope to be able to bring that with me to Alabama try to become a leader for that team as well.”
