MSU Baseball Feature: Baseball And Service In The Caribbean
5/20/2023 1:15:00 PM | Baseball
During winter break of 2022, Michigan State baseball players Trent Farquhar, Christian Williams, Bryan Broecker, and former Spartan player Caleb Sleeman departed from East Lansing to the Caribbean. They got on the plane, not with a vacation in mind, but to invest their lives over Christmas break, working with Athletes In Action group.
AIA, founded in 1966, is a Christian athletics organization focused on combining faith and sport.
Throughout the trip the athletes brought baseball camps and clean water to underdeveloped areas. Redshirt-sophomore catcher Williams felt bringing clean water to underdeveloped areas was the most meaningful part of the trip.
"We went to this one woman's house, and it was just her and her three daughters. We shared the clean water and we were talking to them a little bit about the Gospel." Williams said. "She ended up breaking down in tears and started crying and thanking us for the water filter."
The athletes would go home to home, screwing water filters in buckets to provide families with clean water. Williams recalled a meaningful part of a trip.
"The woman said that them being there was a sign from the Lord calling her back to the church," Williams said. "She said her daughters went to the church, but she kind of left out because she didn't like some of the things that they were saying. She felt like us going there and bringing her this water filter for her and her family was like a sign from the Lord saying, 'Hey come back to me'."
Michigan State wasn't the only school on the AIA trip to the Caribbean. Sleeman, who graduated in 2020 and is an AIA advisor, said he enjoyed working with other schools and baseball players.
"I loved the teamwork and seeing the guys from these different schools coming together. There's guys from Michigan State, University of Minnesota and Georgia Southern," Sleeman said. "All these I'd say are pretty prominent baseball programs and yet we all have a service mindset and something that we can bond and connect over aside from just being baseball players. That was really cool to see those guys grow and develop in that way."
Sleeman's love of combining faith and sports brought him back to Michigan State as an AIA staff member. Sleeman enjoyed sharing and teaching his baseball knowledge in undeveloped communities.
"I think I really enjoy coaching and whether it's a little thing that I told the kid, 'Hey, think about changing your pitch grip or what's your mental approach every time you step on the mound?'" Sleeman said. "I think that's where my natural strengths are so I really enjoy coaching people."
The athletes brought bats, helmets and gloves to the Caribbean. Williams felt grateful for his opportunities after the trip.
"I get to come to a place like Michigan State University, I get gear all the time. I get bats, helmets, gloves and all that kind of stuff, so it just gives me an appreciation for the things I'm given and that allows me to just go and pray and play freely on the baseball field." Williams said. "I got all this stuff handed to me and I can go and play unashamed and free, and just whatever happens out there happens."
The relaxed culture of the Caribbean helped shape redshirt-sophomore catcher Bryan Broecker.
"I think it's just very much a Caribbean thing to be on island time where it's just a lot more laid back of a culture and it's something you can try to apply a little bit here." Broecker said. "I'm really not trying to be in such a hurry all the time and just embrace the time and people that are with you right now."
Broecker believes the trip helped him slow down and live more in the present.
"I try to take more breaks in my day and kind of slow down my life. [I] find time to meditate in prayer or just soak up God's word by reading the Bible and be more intentional with my time with the Lord," Broecker said. "I think that that's helped me immensely trust my communication with God and just understanding who he is."
On the flight home, Farquhar reflected on the trip and continued to thank God for the blessings he's given out and the blessings he's received.
"I just felt stronger for some reason, not just physically but everything. Emotionally and mentally, I just felt filled with His love and His passion because He's just so powerful." Farquhar said. "Just seeing how powerful He can be on that trip was just so awesome, so I just felt just this sense of fulfillment inside me."
Â
AIA, founded in 1966, is a Christian athletics organization focused on combining faith and sport.
Throughout the trip the athletes brought baseball camps and clean water to underdeveloped areas. Redshirt-sophomore catcher Williams felt bringing clean water to underdeveloped areas was the most meaningful part of the trip.
"We went to this one woman's house, and it was just her and her three daughters. We shared the clean water and we were talking to them a little bit about the Gospel." Williams said. "She ended up breaking down in tears and started crying and thanking us for the water filter."
The athletes would go home to home, screwing water filters in buckets to provide families with clean water. Williams recalled a meaningful part of a trip.
"The woman said that them being there was a sign from the Lord calling her back to the church," Williams said. "She said her daughters went to the church, but she kind of left out because she didn't like some of the things that they were saying. She felt like us going there and bringing her this water filter for her and her family was like a sign from the Lord saying, 'Hey come back to me'."
Michigan State wasn't the only school on the AIA trip to the Caribbean. Sleeman, who graduated in 2020 and is an AIA advisor, said he enjoyed working with other schools and baseball players.
"I loved the teamwork and seeing the guys from these different schools coming together. There's guys from Michigan State, University of Minnesota and Georgia Southern," Sleeman said. "All these I'd say are pretty prominent baseball programs and yet we all have a service mindset and something that we can bond and connect over aside from just being baseball players. That was really cool to see those guys grow and develop in that way."
Sleeman's love of combining faith and sports brought him back to Michigan State as an AIA staff member. Sleeman enjoyed sharing and teaching his baseball knowledge in undeveloped communities.
"I think I really enjoy coaching and whether it's a little thing that I told the kid, 'Hey, think about changing your pitch grip or what's your mental approach every time you step on the mound?'" Sleeman said. "I think that's where my natural strengths are so I really enjoy coaching people."
The athletes brought bats, helmets and gloves to the Caribbean. Williams felt grateful for his opportunities after the trip.
"I get to come to a place like Michigan State University, I get gear all the time. I get bats, helmets, gloves and all that kind of stuff, so it just gives me an appreciation for the things I'm given and that allows me to just go and pray and play freely on the baseball field." Williams said. "I got all this stuff handed to me and I can go and play unashamed and free, and just whatever happens out there happens."
The relaxed culture of the Caribbean helped shape redshirt-sophomore catcher Bryan Broecker.
"I think it's just very much a Caribbean thing to be on island time where it's just a lot more laid back of a culture and it's something you can try to apply a little bit here." Broecker said. "I'm really not trying to be in such a hurry all the time and just embrace the time and people that are with you right now."
Broecker believes the trip helped him slow down and live more in the present.
"I try to take more breaks in my day and kind of slow down my life. [I] find time to meditate in prayer or just soak up God's word by reading the Bible and be more intentional with my time with the Lord," Broecker said. "I think that that's helped me immensely trust my communication with God and just understanding who he is."
On the flight home, Farquhar reflected on the trip and continued to thank God for the blessings he's given out and the blessings he's received.
"I just felt stronger for some reason, not just physically but everything. Emotionally and mentally, I just felt filled with His love and His passion because He's just so powerful." Farquhar said. "Just seeing how powerful He can be on that trip was just so awesome, so I just felt just this sense of fulfillment inside me."
Â
Players Mentioned
Pursuit to Greatness | Spartans All-Access
Monday, May 19
Jake Boss | Baseball Press Conference | April 17, 2025
Thursday, April 17
Jake Boss | Baseball Press Conference | Mar. 25 2025
Tuesday, March 25
Jake Boss | Baseball Press Conference | Mar. 11 2025
Tuesday, March 11