Fifth year CSUSM student Hayden Weir is an Environmental Studies major who plays for his university’s baseball team. He has been playing since his freshman year and someday, aspires to be drafted and play baseball professionally.

What’s your major? And why did you choose that area of study?

I came to CSUSM as a business major because I wanted to own my own business someday, but I had no idea what kind of business. Then, in Fall 2014, the Environmental Studies program began and I figured it would be a lot more interesting for me to learn about something I love rather than something that was making school boring for me.

Why did you choose CSUSM for your undergraduate degree?

I was born and raised in Torrance, California right by the coast. I came to CSUSM because the baseball coaches felt I was good enough to give me a baseball scholarship and I would be living in beautiful San Diego, close to by brother, his wife and my three nephews!

How long have you been playing baseball? And why did you start playing?

My mom loves to tell the story of her taking me into the backyard when I was 18 months old and having me throw a ball to her glove and I would hit it every time. She had plans for me to be a baseball player long before I was born, so you could say I was raised to play baseball from the very beginning. Although my parents had a passion for me to play, they never forced me to play when I didn’t want to, so I never got burnt out and I thank them for that. Baseball is a very unforgiving sport, you can be one of the greatest hitters and still be failing 7 out of 10 times, so it takes a lot of mental toughness. 

 What would you say you’re most thankful for, in regards to college baseball?

College baseball has brought me close to some really great guys. From the beginning of January to the end of the semester in May, I am with 33 other guys, seven days a week. We have our ups and downs, but at the end of the day, we are all brothers having the time of our lives, playing the game we love together. I’m thankful for all of the great teammates I’ve had and all the great people I’ve met on the other sports teams on campus over the last 5 years. They have been some of the best years of my life.

What are your plans for when you graduate?

As all other college baseball players, I want to be drafted by a professional team in June. I like to be optimistic about it, but I’m a realist, so my plan for if that doesn’t happen, is to continue to work at Dos Desperados Brewery here in San Marcos. Right now, I work part time as their assistant brewer, but when I can be full time, I will be the Head Brewer and will have more time to really get involved in the industry here in North County and hopefully, someday, own my own brewery!

Why did you decide to play college baseball? How does it compare to your high school experience?

Every high school athlete wants to play in college and I played with five of my best friends in high school and we all worked hard together to win in our senior season so we could get a little more notice from college coaches and it ended up working pretty well for some of us. College baseball is great, but my three years playing varsity baseball in high school with my best friends is something I still think about all the time. We had so much fun playing out there every day, win or lose. We were still playing the game with each other and that’s all we wanted to do.

 Any words of wisdom for aspiring athletes?

My advice is to take advantage of what you have been given. Use the resources the school gives you. Walk around campus and meet people, don’t just stay within the bubble of your teammates; branch out, get involved. I volunteer a bit for the athletic department to welcome new student-athletes and helping sell fundraising scarves at games and things like that and it feels good to be helping out the athletic department staff that helps you every day. And of course, it goes by fast, so don’t forget to stop and smell the roses.