What makes a great sports team?  Talent? Athleticism? Hard work?  The answer to this has been debated since the beginning of organized competition and will surely continue to be questioned.  However, for the Carolina Freedom this question may not be too difficult.  To say that the Freedom dominated the AACBL this summer would be an understatement. 

                The Freedom excelled at just about every aspect of the game.  The team’s pitching was by far the best in the league, but they also dominated at the plate.  This all around brilliance can be summed up by Danny Rafferty.  Rafferty, who is one of the league’s best pitchers with an ERA of .74, also won the league’s home run derby.

                But this team is more than just a group of highly skilled athletes.  They have a noticeable team unity.  Perhaps it is this relationship they have with each other that is responsible for their success this season.  Coach Brandon Matthews says, “The guys have worked well together since they arrived this summer and the trust they put into each other has played a significant role in our ability to produce on the field.” 

                Second baseman Jordan Washam explained that the focus is team based and that individual accomplishments are of little importance.  “If one guy falls we pick him up and that's just how our team works.  We don't have any selfish players on this team.”

                This close knit relationship is not simply among the players themselves.  A mutual respect exists between Coach Matthews and his team.  “We have a lot of respect for him and he has respect for us too. He's our coach and we have the responsibility to listen to what he says and trust him as a coach and a person,” said Washam. 

Outfielder Ryan Byers, who has five home runs on the season, believes it is the team’s “family” like relationship that has been the key to their strong season.  “Our team is like a family. We all came together and meshed with each other right out of the gate. Our team’s biggest weakness is ourselves, we can only beat ourselves. ”

In summer baseball it is easy for players to take the season lightly or focus primarily on their individual stats and performance.  But this Carolina Freedom team has done the exact opposite of that.  They play as a unit, not a group of individuals.  They show up to every practice and game like it is the championship game.  Sure they are not perfect, but thanks to their trust in each other and superb coaching they have been able to put together the most impressive season so far in the AACBL’s short history.     

If they take care of some mental mistakes then they have an excellent chance of winning the AACBL championship.  “We've got to remember that it is more important how quickly you rebound from a mistake rather than worrying about making one,” said Matthews.