Team Tuesdays: Honey Badgers
Written by Josh Smith
The Honey Badgers were a founding franchise when the league began in 2012. But the team's history goes back even further to 2006, when Josh Berletich first started playing wiffleball in the Garrett Drive Wiffleball League. In 2007 his team, the Hot Dogs, won the league championship and remained league contenders for the remainder of the league's tenure in Hurricane. Berletich is not the only member of the team the transplanted to the Huntington league. In 2010, Arielle Hord joined the Hot Dogs and brought a lot of strategy to the team. Berletich and Hord were all that remained of the team in the league's final year in 2011.
The following year the duo joined the Huntington Wiffle League. David Dillon joined the roster halfway through the season when most teams consisted of only two players to a team. They remained a threat to the first place Beaver Fever all the way to the championship where they finished as runner-up. In 2013 the Honey Badgers took a break, many feared it would be a permanent absence but much to everyone's surprise they returned to participate in the fall ball season. Berletich was at the top of his pitching game but the team always struggled with hitting but they added a couple new players, including Paul Hesson, and offense improved. They went 0-3 in the first two weeks of fall ball but then they won out the rest of the season on a 7-game winning streak and turned some heads.
2014 has been a year full of battles for the team. They are finally operating on a large roster led by team captain Josh Berletich and co-captained by Arielle Hord. With them is David Dillon, Paul Hesson, Zack Reedy, and soon-to-appear Jacob Fischer. The team is a pitching powerhouse with Berletich's unwavering accuracy and speed and Paul Hesson's unpredictability and comparable velocity. The team is currently 3-3 and fighting its way to the top of a difficult division against teams like Breaking Balls and Wiffle Ballers who have equally dominant pitching. But the team is as big of a threat as they've always been. So without further delay, let's meet the Honey Badgers:
Josh Berletich #7 | SP | Team Captain
Age? 25
What is your favorite food? Mexican
What made you want to play wiffleball? I have been a participant since 2006 and love it, its addicting like a drug. I love competing!
Any previous experience with baseball or softball? How many years and in what leagues? I have played baseball since I was 6yrs old, too many leagues to remember. I played baseball till I went to college, I also played one summer of church league softball.
Do you have any personal goals for this season? If so, what are they? Pitch a perfect game, my team goal is to win it all!
What do you do for a living? Graduate Student at Marshall University, Part-time PE instructor at the Rec Center on campus, and Part-time sales associate at The Home Depot.
Favorite TV show? ESPN Sports Center LOL! Favorite
Favorite Movie? All the MARVEL superhero movies, especially IronMan.
What are you other hobbies? Anything outdoors, I love being outside and active.
Arielle Hord #11 | OF/EH | Co-Captain
Age? 27
What is your favorite food? Ice cream and pasta
What made you want to play wiffleball? I wanted to join so Josh and I could play a sport together.
Any previous experience with baseball or softball? How many years and in what leagues? I played softball from 1st grade through 12th grade and then played wiffleball in Hurricane starting in 2010.
Do you have any personal goals for this season? If so, what are they? I'd like to hit the ball at some point this season and run to first a little faster.
What do you do for a living? I work in retail...for now.
Favorite TV show? How I Met Your Mother
Favorite movie? Top Gun and Dirty Dancing
What are you other hobbies? Reading and playing with my dog
David Dillon #23 | OF/RP
Age? 23
What is your favorite food? Crab cakes
What made you want to play wiffleball? Josh invited me out, sounded like fun and I've been hooked ever since.
Any previous experience with baseball or softball? How many years and in what leagues? I coached and umpired softball for 4 years.
Do you have any personal goals for this season? If so, what are they? No goals this years, just having fun.
What do you do for a living? Teller at Huntington Federal
Favorite TV show? Law & Order
Favorite movie? Too many to list
What are you other hobbies? Collecting sneakers
Paul Hesson #25 | SP/OF
Age? 22
What is your favorite food? Pizza...it's all I eat
What made you want to play wiffleball? I've always loved sports and David introduced me to the league.
Any previous experience with baseball or softball? How many years and in what leagues? I've played both baseball and softball (adult leagues). So roughly 8 years.
Do you have any personal goals for this season? If so, what are they? Improve upon my pitching and lead the league in batting average.
What do you do for a living? Sales.
Favorite TV show? Sherlock
Favorite movie? Scott Pilgram vs the World
What are you other hobbies? Working on computers and cell phones, bowling, & golf
Zack Reedy #82 | OF/EH
Age? 20
What is your favorite food? Spaghetti
What made you want to play wiffleball? Josh asked me to play and it seemed like a lot of fun and gives me something competitive to do.
Any previous experience with baseball or softball? How many years and in what leagues? I played from teeball up to middle school ball.
Do you have any personal goals for this season? If so, what are they? Hit a grand slam!
What do you do for a living? Student at Marshall University
Favorite TV show? Top Gear
Favorite movie? Smoky and the Bandit
What are you other hobbies? Hunting, fishing, and four-wheeling
Jacob Fischer #0 | SP/OF
Age? 21
What is your favorite food? Tacos
What made you want to play wiffleball? I haven't gotten to do anything baseball related since I stopped playing three years ago.
Any previous experience with baseball or softball? How many years and in what leagues? I started playing when I was 8 at East Huntington, to Southeastern Babe Ruth, 4 years at Huntington High School, and 1 year at Bethany College.
Do you have any personal goals for this season? If so, what are they? Change the course of the Honey Badger season.
What do you do for a living? Student and random retail jobs.
Favorite TV show? The Big Bang Theory
Favorite movie? Star Wars
What are you other hobbies? Bowling and cornhole
