Our Daily Show Interview! Alton River Dragons Spotlight: Hayden Wilson Ethan Wielt
ALTON – As the Alton River Dragons adjust to a new field manager and prepare for the second half of the season, two players are reflecting on their goals for the year.
Hayden Wilson and Ethan Wielt are both new River Dragons players who are eager to join the team. They noted that the field manager mixup mid-season is “different” for a college summer league, but they’re excited to see where it takes them.
“That’s part of the business of baseball,” Wilson said. “When you have a record that unfortunately hasn’t gone our way — we’re 2-20 at this point — something has got to change. I’m really excited to have Andrew [Olney] as our new manager. I think he’s going to do a really good job in getting us turned around.”
Wielt agreed, adding that the new field manager and the updated player roster is “a much-needed refresher for the team” as they enter the second half of the season. In the Prospect League, in which the River Dragons play, the record resets for the second half. Wilson and Wielt are hopeful they can “get this thing turned around and make the playoffs.”
Wilson, an O’Fallon native, previously played for their team in the Prospect League. Wielt, from Mt. Vernon, studied at Lewis and Clark Community College and is eager to join the league this year as a River Dragon. He expressed his excitement to play for Alton.
“It’s tons of fun, especially all the big stadiums and big crowds. It really makes the games,” he said. “You get to know the crowd a lot better. Especially the kids, they’ll come up to the dugout and we get to sign their balls, get to talk to them after the games. It’s a great time because you actually get to know them.”
Wilson echoed him, noting that while Alton’s crowds are usually smaller, it gives a “family” feel to Lloyd Hopkins Field as they learn about the Alton community. The audience also gets to know the players. The relationships they have formed mean a lot to the team.
The players are also getting closer with each other. Wielt described them as “a band of brothers” while Wilson shared his hopes that their tight-knit energy will lead to more wins.
“I’ve really enjoyed the company that I’m in and the friends that I’ve made this summer,” Wilson said. “I definitely feel like there is a good connection there. Honestly, in my experience with baseball, that’s one of the most important things on a team: team culture. The best teams that I’ve been a part of have had phenomenal team culture. I think that we have the culture, we just need to bring it together on the field.”
Wilson and Wielt expressed their hopes that Alton will turn their season around and have a successful second half. They are excited to continue playing for the River Dragons and sharing their love of the sport with the community.
“I just want to make sure the fans have a good experience,” Wielt added. “We just really get to see them have fun at the ballpark…It’s pretty fun seeing the little kids all have fun. It’s just all kind of works with each other. You’re having fun if they’re having fun. If you’re having fun, they’re having fun. It’s just really good to see.”
For more information about the Alton River Dragons, including how to purchase tickets, visit their official website or their official Facebook page.
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