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Neuqua Valley’s Andrew Gould is comfortable with his standing as an athlete in his family.
The junior second baseman’s two older brothers, Matt and Michael, played baseball for the Wildcats too.
“We are a 100% all-baseball family,” he said.
Matt Gould, an assistant for the College of DuPage baseball team, hit .369 during his senior season at Neuqua Valley before playing at Jefferson College and UNC Greensboro.
Michael Gould, one of the hottest hitters in Division II, is batting .453 with six home runs and 49 RBIs in 31 games for Maryville.
But Andrew Gould said he has never been fazed by expectations. Instead, he embraces the challenge.
“It’s cool to have that to chase after,” Andrew Gould said. “I love it. I knew coming into this year I would be the third Gould to play baseball at Neuqua Valley. I knew our coach James Thornton loved having my older brothers on the team.
“I looked at this year as a chance to add to the Gould name. We have a legacy in the program. It means a lot to play here for our family. I know the name on the back of my jersey carries a lot of weight.”
Andrew Gould is putting his mark on the program in his first full varsity season. He is driving the ball all over the field, hitting .364 with five RBIs for the Wildcats (6-5-1).
Like his brother Michael, he has committed to play at Maryville.
“I knew the footsteps I was following, but I know I’ve paved my own path,” Andrew Gould said. “I just go out and play the game the way I know how to play. At the end of the day, I have to be the best player I can be and make my own (name).”
Andrew Gould moved into Neuqua Valley’s leadoff spot after Matt Knapczyk was sidelined with an injury during the team’s spring break trip. Gould’s patient approach and consistent hitting helped stabilize the offense during Knapczyk’s absence.
“Andrew’s got a thumper mentality,” Thornton said. “He’s tied or leading the team in almost every offensive category. He wants to outdo his brothers. Mike is leaving some huge footprints. It challenges Andrew. He wants to mimic his brother.
“He wants to be the guy, even as a junior. Not all juniors will step up to that level of being that guy. I’ve seen that since he was a freshman. He would go throw with older guys. He had no fear or intimidation.”
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Andrew Gould played on the junior varsity team last season, when Thornton said he stressed to Gould the importance of being patient and honing his all-around game to prepare for the future.
“I don’t think the waiting game bothered him,” Thornton said. “He just wanted to compete at the highest level at the earliest time possible. I explained to him I didn’t have a spot for him. He took full advantage of getting JV reps. He has that Gould work ethic without a doubt. He now has the confidence.”
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Andrew Gould said he packed on about 10 pounds of “muscle” during the offseason and credits his work with hitting coach Kevin Sullivan for the improvement he has made.
“I worked on getting stronger,” Andrew Gould said. “I was just grinding and did a lot of hitting and lifting. It was some really long days. I knew it would all be worth it and pay off. I got to a point where I was comfortable with my weight.”
He added that his brother Matt has been invaluable to his development and that he chats with his brother Michael frequently to get tips.
“My brothers have been in my corner since day one,” Andrew Gould said. “I talk to Michael every day about hitting and the game. Matt has helped me a lot, taking me to hit and to take grounders when I need them. My older sister, Lindsey, has been the biggest supporter.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
