For love of the game

Baseball is America’s pastime, and over the course of the life of baseball million’s of kids have played the game of baseball because they love it.
No one embodies the concept of playing the game of baseball for nothing more than love, than Gabe Hebert.
Hebert is a soon to be junior at Gueydan and is playing for the Gulf State Bank Abbeville 29’ers American Legion team, and has been playing baseball since he was a small child.
“I have been playing baseball since T-Ball,” Hebert said. “That is when I first fell in love with the game. From that moment on at four or five years old, I have done nothing but want to play baseball.”
Hebert’s love for the game began early, but there is a small chance that his love for the sport may be hereditary.
“My entire family has played baseball in some form or fashion,” Hebert said. “My mom played softball, my dad played baseball when he was growing up. I remember watching my brother playing baseball. Baseball just kind of runs in my family.”
In talking to Hebert you can really tell that the sport of baseball is his passion, and he whole-heartedly loves the sport.
“There isn’t anything about the sport of baseball I don’t love,” Hebert said. “I lover being outside, I love the atmosphere and I especially love the competition that comes with baseball and I want to be the very best that I can be.”
Hebert is already really pretty talented at the sport of baseball.
As a sophomore he was named to the All-District second team, and the All-Parish first team. Which is even more impressive considering he played for a team that finished the season with 1-18 record.
“It was an honor to be selected to both of those teams,” Hebert said. “It is good to see that my hard work and determination is getting rewarded. I don’t play baseball for the accolades, but they are still nice to get.”
The love that Hebert has for the game of baseball is never more prevalent than by him being on the American Legion team over the course of this summer.
To be on the legion team, Hebert has to give up one month of his precious summer vacation to play on the legion team.
“I’m doing something I love,” Hebert said. “I would rather be out there playing baseball than doing anything else.
“I have an whole other month to do what I want, but playing baseball is what I want to be doing. Baseball is my passion, and in my mind there is nothing else to do.”
All of Hebert’s coaches will agree that he is constantly trying to get better.
“Gabe (Hebert) came recommended to me by Jeremy Trahan (North Vermilion head baseball coach),” 29’ers head coach Darin Desormeaux said. “Gabe is a polite, well mannered kid. He covers ground very very well.
“One of the first things he mentioned to me was that he just wanted to get better, and normally when a kid tells you something like that it is just for shoe, but Gabe was being 100% honest. He honestly wants to get better and better, and he proves that every time he goes out on the field.”
His baseball coach at Gueydan has nothing bad to say about Hebert as well.
“He is a really really good kid,” Gueydan head baseball coach Paul Saparito said. “He brings a great attitude, he is never negative, and he is very polite.
“He is also a great leader to be so young for our team. He isn’t a vocal leader, but he leads by action and does a great job at it.”
It is Hebert’s love of the game of baseball that drives him.
Even in his off time he is eating, sleeping and thinking about baseball.
“I enjoy other things other than baseball, but it isn’t much,” Hebert said. “I like hanging out with my friends, and begin outside. Most of the time though I am working on my swing, or working on some little drills to make me a better ball player.”
Hebert is hoping that one day he will be able to play the sport he loves on a larger scale.
He is hoping to be able to take his skills to the collegiate level.
Before he can get there though he still has two more years of high school left, and even though he has two year left his love of the game will be with him forever.