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>> Hi. I'm Jess Chen, Class of 2012, and I'm here
with Kyle Hendricks from Orange County, California,
also Class of 2012, who signed
with the Texas Rangers last year.
You were drafted while you were in high school,
and you were recruited by a few other big baseball schools.
Why did you decide to come to Dartmouth?
>> I think where it starts is with my parents.
Going through high school,
my parents always stressed education and academics to me.
So I had the opportunity to go to big baseball schools
in California, but when it comes down to it, I mean,
baseball is going to end,
and that's what my parents really stressed to me.
So I came to Dartmouth and few other Ivy Leagues,
checked them out.
And coming to Dartmouth, I mean,
the atmosphere here just captured me.
You know, I love it.
I love the campus.
The coaches here were great.
All the kids on the team were awesome.
So I think the official visit is really what did it for me,
coming to Dartmouth instead of other big --
or going to schools in California.
But when it comes down to it, academics was the main thing.
>> You first joined the team,
playing professional baseball this summer, correct?
>> Um-hum.
>> So how was that experience?
>> High school baseball, college baseball is lot different
than minor league baseball.
High school and college, a lot more hands-on
with the coaches, I think.
When you get to minor leagues, you know, it's your job,
and that's what they stress to you.
So you have to come every day and be ready
to work kind of on your own.
I mean, the coaches are there to help you,
and they definitely will help, but you got to take a lot
of responsibility on your own to take care of whatever you have
to take care of, whereas in high school and college,
the coaches are there 24/7, like on you, you know,
especially having -- with school
in the background and everything.
So it's a lot different.
>> And now, obviously, you have
to balance school work and baseball.
Why was it important for you to come back to school?
>> Yeah, well, I had been here for three years
and to just waste away the education, you know,
by not finished, not graduating, it was an easy decision.
And I had the opportunity to come back
because of the off season, and my professors working with me
so I could kind of leave a few days early to go
to spring training, all that weighed in.
And obviously, my parents are a big influence,
and they talked to me.
So after this, I have one more term I need to come back
for to graduate, and I'll definitely do it.
>> You were drafted out of high school.
What were the benefits of coming to Dartmouth
and playing baseball here?
>> One of the biggest things I looked at was the development
as far as personal development in baseball.
I got drafted late out of high school,
and it really wasn't an option for me to go
and play right away, and being that young,
I knew it would be real hard for me to develop.
And also going to big baseball schools, you know,
you never know if -- they have so many guys, you might not play
until you're a junior there.
So coming to Dartmouth, I knew I would have a chance
to contribute as a freshman, you know, real heavily,
and that really weighed in on my decision and my development.
And Coach Whalen really helped me out, you know,
recruited me very heavily.
And I knew that if I came here
that I would have a legitimate shot of playing as a freshman,
and it ended up where I started as a freshman.
So Coach Whalen was a big part of me deciding to come here.
>> As far as playing baseball at Dartmouth,
Did you have any specific memories you'd
like to share or big moments?
>> Definitely the two biggest moments for me
at Dartmouth were winning the two Ivy League Championships my
freshman and sophomore year.
Winning a championship with a group of guys that you're
so close with -- you know,
you spend all your time with these guys.
You have to take classes with them.
You obviously practice.
You're in the weight room, and you hang out outside
of baseball all the time.
So when you're able to accomplish something that big,
winning a championship, you know,
there's not greater feeling.
So those two things were definitely the biggest memories
for me.
>> Thank you so much, Kyle, for taking the time to speak to us.
Good luck in Arizona for spring training,
and we wish you the best of luck
in your academic and athletic careers.
>> Thank you.