Here's how this Evans native helped lead Team USA baseball to the 12U World Cup gold medal
A month ago Colin Anderson was happy just to be part of Team USA for the 12U World Cup in Taiwan.
He didn't anticipate he would carry the team to the gold medal.
“My expectations were to play a few games and hit pretty well, but I went way beyond what my goal was,” he said.
Anderson hit .556 over eight games with seven homers and 21 runs batted in. He capped off the performance with a pair of longballs against Venezuela in the gold medal game. He was an easy choice for the World Cup Most Valuable Player.
Dialing in his swing
Even before heading to Stockton Calif., to practice with the team ahead of the tournament, Anderson's swing wasn’t in midseason form. It took a few video sessions with his hitting coach to straighten things out. His father, Andy, could see improvement in real time.
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“It’s funny because baseball is such a fickle game, he kind of struggled going into the tournament. We worked out some kinks right before he left and I could tell it was starting to gel right before he left for California,” he said. “Some of the parents out there sent us videos and we kind of worked with him and his hitting coach through videos. When he got out to Taiwan, I could tell he was super locked in and when he gets in that kind of zone, these kinds of things happen.”
World Cup performance
Locked in he was. Even with a World Cup performance, he’ll likely remember for his entire life, the most important souvenir was the one around his neck.
“Just going over there and being there with Team USA was a great experience,” he said. “To bring back the gold from Taipei is pretty cool.”
Anderson started school at Greenbrier Middle a week late so he could get over the jet lag and travel schedule. Andy said when the school found out he’d be traveling overseas, they told him one thing.
“They said if he wins gold,” Andy said, “he’s got to bring his medal and show everybody.”
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta's Colin Anderson earns MVP for Team USA in 12U World Cup
