Getting back into the swing of things

Things didn’t work out quite as planned for former Crestview baseball player Cody Hancock. But the 2009 CHS is right on track to fulfill his baseball dream.

Hancock recently signed a baseball scholarship to play for George C. Wallace State Community College in Selma, Ala.

Hancock is quick to admit sitting out a year hasn’t been easy. But rather than mope about what might have been, he chooses to count his blessings.

“I think it’s been a learning process this year,” he said. “I’ve been blessed with parents that have provided for me and it has given me a year to just get out on my own and start working a little bit.

“It’s kind of lit a fire under me now and I’m ready to go play.”

Hancock is excited about playing for Wallace coach Frank Elliott.

“I like the coach,” he said. “He’s a real good guy. He asked me to come up there and work out with him a couple of times and I loved it.

“The field is nice. The school is a junior college and is a nice place.”

Bulldog coach Tim Gillis was glad to see Hancock’s patience pay off.

“We are always excited about one of our guys going on and getting to play,” he said. “The thing about Cody is things didn’t work out at the beginning and a lot of times people just shut it down and give up at that point, and he did not. That says a lot about his character.

“He’s a strong character kid any way. He wants to play and he’s been persistent and the guy, coach Elliott up there is going to give him a shot and that’s all you can ask for.”

Hancock spent most of his Bulldog career at shortstop and is capable of playing just about anywhere on the field.

However his real strength is at the plate.

Hancock hit .390 as a junior and about .315 last season.

“I think his biggest strength is the way he swings the bat,” Gillis said. “He drives the ball and is a gap-to-gap (left centerfield to right centerfield) kind of guy. He’s going to hit for average.

“And then he’s got good arm strength and is very accurate (throwing the ball). He’s got the ability defensively wherever he ends up playing.”

Hancock isn’t particular about where he plays as long as he gets to swing the bat.

“They want me to play middle infield (shortstop or second base),” he said. “I just want to be in the lineup and hit.

I believe I can hit, and I’m coachable.

“If the coach wants me to play a different position I’m not used to, I can learn it. And I can hit. I love hitting.”