April 27, 2020
BLUFFTON, Ohio – The Bluffton University sports information office has been talking to many of our spring athletes who are seniors during the month of April. They give us a glimpse back to their time at Bluffton along with what the future holds for them and their teammates.
Parker Reynolds is a senior from Avon, Ohio, who graduated from Avon High School. A catcher who was a regular in the lineup throughout his four years at Bluffton, Reynolds is a sports management and math double major who is interested in pursuing a career in data analytics. From his first campus tour, Reynolds felt at home with both the school and the campus. He felt comfortable at Bluffton and enjoyed the small-school atmosphere.
The long road trips and Sunday games proved challenging during the spring semester, but Parker's routine and his preparation paid dividends as he will finish Bluffton with a sterling 3.8 GPA. An early-morning person by nature, Parker began devoting even more time to his academics as a sophomore to reduce the stress brought on by game days that are constantly in a state of flux during the spring.
Being able to balance academics and baseball has given Parker a full tool box as he has his sights set on one day becoming a human resources manager. Performing a balancing act while growing his leadership skills are traits that will serve him well as he looks into the future following graduation from Bluffton.
The memories Parker will carry with him following his time at Bluffton center on, "Being around quality people." In his words, "I put myself around good people like Colin Gregory and Austin Prosser as a freshman. They showed us the work needed to build a successful program." Gregory's game-tying grand slam against Transylvania in the regular-season finale his sophomore year is a vision that Parker will always cherish. He also has fond memories of Bluffton's first-ever trip to the Heartland Conference tournament in 2018.
The overarching advice that Parker would like to leave his teammates is to celebrate and have joy in other's successes, also known as mudita. "Stay together as a group and don't be afraid to hype up your teammates' accomplishments," added Parker who hopes to be doing just that alongside his friends next year as he possibly pursues an MBA at Bluffton while utilizing a final year of eligibility!
-BEAVERS-