Training for the future

"Take it out and shake it off." These are the words of wisdom from Adam Ruszkowski.

"I like striving to get better and better and better," Ruszkowski said "Division I is one of the best amateur leagues you can possible play in for baseball and I think that the competitive level and carrying that kind of competition to one of the highest amateur levels is one of the best memories that I have."

Ruszkowski, a senior starting pitcher for Buffalo, credits his high school coach Dave Guido for instilling this type of mental fortitude in him so that he could succeed on the Division I level.

"I had a really tough high school coach and I think that the ability to have really thick skin and to be able to shake things off and be able to come out here day-to-day and perform like it's your first outing... basically just take it out, shake it off and be able to go on to the next day because you have to be able to come out day-to-day and play this game," Ruszkowski said.

"All the way through high school I just worked hard and my coaches had a lot of faith in me... I came from a winning program in high school, and I think that having that confidence really set me up for having a Division I possibility."

Ruszkowski is a different breed than many collegiate athletes. Along with going to school and traveling most weekends for the baseball team, he owns his own personal training company. The six-foot four-inch hurler enjoys being able to use the skills that he has been fortunate to learn while at Buffalo, to help people who may not have had the same opportunities that he has been given.

"I like to see people have the same opportunities that I had and try to make them the best athletes that they can off the field, in the weight room and have that transfer directly on to the playing field," Ruszkowski said. "I think that's one of the biggest benefits that I see and on top of that I like seeing average people obtain their own personal goals. I get a good satisfaction from that."

Ruszkowski has been given these opportunities since he began his baseball career at the tender age of five.

"My grandfather was always a fan of the game, he was always a Yankee fan," Ruszkowski said. "I've been playing ball since I was five years old, basically my family was a big push on that."

When Ruszkowski's time at Buffalo is finished, he would like to continue in the physical therapy field, as well as continuing to help train athletes. But that's not before he finishes living out his fun playing baseball.

"Possibly I'll play independent ball for a while and probably go on to be an orthopedic surgeon or something like that," Ruszkowski said. "I'd like to stay within the health field and probably open up a place to train athletes down in Florida or out West somewhere."

Playing baseball in Buffalo means that you have to travel a lot in the beginning of the season in order to stay away from the cold weather of March. The Bulls played their first 21 games of the season away from home. Being together so much has led to longtime friendships that Ruszkowski said he would cherish and hope to continue after college.

"Every team I've ever been on, especially being here for four years, I've developed a lot of really quality friendships with my coaching staff, with my teammates," Ruszkowski said. "I've spent a lot of time with them and I think that I'll carry these friendships into the future. Help them out some day if they have a problem, or just go out for a cup of coffee. I'd like to stay close with those guys, because I've spent a lot of time with them, no matter what walk of life they decide to take, I think that I'll be a part of it, and I'd like to have them part of mine to."