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Vindy Spring Athletes: Michael Turner
It was the perfect ending to Michael Turner’s senior year. The state championship, which had eluded Turner’s senior class all four years (not to mention every season in Champion history) was finally captured after the Golden Flashes beat previously-undefeated Berlin Hilard 1-0.
Turner drove in the game’s only run.
“It’s a dream come true,” Turner said. “Since freshman year we knew our class was going to be good. Going out winning your last game — it’s the greatest feeling ever.
“What we talked about every day was winning a state championship.”
Not only was Turner the dangerous number-three hitter in the Champion lineup this season, he was also learning a new position behind the plate.
“This was my first full-year catching,” Turner said. “I was a shortstop and a pitcher my whole life. But a couple years back my travel ball coach suggested that I would be a good catcher and then at the Kent State camp that was my first time catching in a game. They liked me and offered me.”
Turner said he’s grown to enjoy the new position since there’s never any downtime when you’re calling pitches.
“I like [catching] a lot because it’s involved in every play of the game,” Turner said.
“At shortstop you’re involved but not with every pitch. It keeps you focused. If you have a bad at-bat you can’t be thinking about that when you go out on the field.”