For the Love of the Game

Justin Duff’s first love is baseball. This tall freshman with blue / green eyes and blonde hair has been playing on the Junior Varsity team this year, and he hopes to move up to Varsity in a season or two. Currently he plays first base and pitcher.

Duff explained that, when he was only seven years old, his older brother inspired him to start playing Little League Baseball “I really like baseball because I feel like it gives me my time to shine as an athlete,” he said.

Being a good player comes naturally to Duff and he hasn’t had a lot of struggles with the sport. “There are no challenges except when I broke my ankle twice and my left wrist a few years ago,” said Duff. While it may not have any influence on his skill, Duff does have a tradition that he upholds for every game. He leaves about five dollars in his left back pocket while he is playing. “I don´t know why I do it,” he said, “but it´s like a superstitious thing.”

Duff went to Green Valley Middle School and plans on going to California State University Northridge after he graduates from Armijo in 2021. “I plan on getting a scholarship for baseball but, if not, my smarts can get through it,” said Duff. On the field, his favorite professional baseball player is Brandon Belt, first baseman for the San Francisco Giants. “I strive to be as good as him one day,” he said…