NEWBERRY — Major league pitcher Michael Roth spoke to Newberry College athletes about achieving greatness and staying “ahead of the curve” at a Jan. 22 presentation in Wiles Chapel Theatre.
Roth, who now pitches for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, played at the University of South Carolina from 2009 to 2012. He was leading pitcher during the 2010 and 2011 national championship games, and was a ninth-round draft pick by the Angels in 2012.
Roth told the student athletes that to have greatness, there were three things you need to do: know where you are going, do tasks uncommonly well, and stay ahead of the curve.
Roth explained each area and told the audience, “If you do those three things, you’ll achieve greatness.”
Newberry College Athletic Director Matthew Finley believed Roth would be able to relate to the college’s athletes.
“Michael is fresh off the student athlete experience, fresh off the field and fresh out of the classroom,” Finley says. “He received many awards at South Carolina won a national title. Our students could relate to him as a student and an athlete.”
Finley credits 2005 Newberry alum Jack Easterby, who now works as Associate Athletics Director of Strategic Operations, with helping bring Roth to campus. Easterby met Roth while working as a character coach at the University of South Carolina.
“Jack Easterby was instrumental in getting Michael on campus. He hangs with South Carolina athletes,” Finley says.
Students praised Roth’s presentation.
“I think it’s great that we are getting well-known people on campus to inspire, aid, and influence our students to be better people, now and in the future,” says student-athlete Alexander Kirby.
Roth says the opportunity to speak at Newberry was welcome.
“I love coming to talk to student athletes,” he says. “I know they struggles they are going through. I have been through the same. This is something I want to do and I enjoy doing it.”
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