BOONEVILLE (KFSM) - For Brandon Ulmer, baseball’s not just a sport. It’s a lifestyle.
"Always talking baseball, watching baseball at the house and got a batting cage at the house, so hitting out there," the junior said.
"Just growing up that was something I introduced him to," Darby Ulmer, Brandon's father and head coach at Booneville said. "My love for the game and then seeing him really love it to and having that passion for it has really been fun."
That passion started about ten years ago in the batting cage at home.
"Six, seven years old. Around the time I started seeing live pitching. We’ve moved houses, moved the batting cage over there. So it’s been a big part of my life, baseball and my dad helping me with it of course," Brandon said.
Yes, Ulmer’s hitting over .500. But eye popping numbers are far from what makes Brandon stand out.
"There’s a lot of talented kids but you don’t always see that work ethic, that focus on the game like you do with him," Darby said.
"He’s just always motivating," teammate Carson Ray said. "Never negative, telling you what to do to get better. Always keeping his head up."
"Leadership’s one of the best things you can have that make an average team or an above average team play really well," the Coach Ulmer added.
Brandon is just a junior and has already committed to play center field at Arkansas State. His journey from six year old in the batting cage to college commit starts and ends with one person.
"Probably my dad coaching. He’s just always been there for me, motivating me to be the best that I can," said Brandon.
Several in-state schools showed interest in Ulmer during the recruiting process, including University of Arkansas, University of Central Arkansas and University of Arkansas at Little Rock.