The creation of a great team starts with a single step… and in this case, a single swing.
While Madison Country Day School does not yet have its own baseball team, the hope for a future Prairie Hawks baseball team is being laid out this spring through a partnership with Abundant Life Christian School and St. Ambrose Academy.
Leading the charge is one of MCDS’s own students: Oliver ’29. He is a versatile catcher who can play 1st base and outfield, and brings a lifetime of experience, beginning with local T-ball and progressing to the competitive Silver Sluggers travel team. Since then, Oliver has been playing recreational ball, but the opportunity to represent MCDS at the high school level was too good to pass up.
“It feels great to be a pioneer for the school,” Oliver said. “If I can be the person who can help other people play baseball, I am all for it. I will keep playing until we can have a team.”
Navigating the Co-op
MCDS Athletic Director Annie Gravel said the decision to send a student-athlete to the ALCS and St. Ambrose Junior Varsity team will help contribute to the expansion of sports at MCDS, even if the interest starts with a single person.
An official co-op agreement must be signed a year in advance, so currently, Oliver can only play at a JV level. However, Gravel said she has a clear path in mind for the future.
“Our intention and plan right now is to sign a co-op agreement before May 1st,” Gravel said. “That will mean we are eligible to play JV and Varsity baseball as part of the co-op beginning in Spring 2027.”
Looking Toward and Beyond 2027
The push for the baseball program is in response to increasing interest from younger students. “The class of 2030 has quite a few talented baseball players,” said Gravel. As of now, the co-op has just been established, and playing in the future is an ensured option for our MCDS players.
Oliver has recently broken his finger and may be out of playing for the time being, but because of the plan for the co-op, a full roster and a varsity team are only a few seasons away.
“I am very sad to be missing this season of playing, but I hope that we as a program can add new sports,” said Oliver. “Even if it’s only one person who wants to play.”
