Q&A with Normal West senior baseball player Alex Willey
NORMAL, Ill. — Alex Willey is a senior on the Normal Community West High School baseball team.
What do you like to do outside of your sport?
Alex Willey: When I am not focusing on training and workouts, I still enjoy lifting, but also like hanging out with my friends and playing video games.
When you dream about your future, what does it look like?
Willey: When I dream about the future, it includes playing baseball at the next level in college and in Major League Baseball someday.
Ask someone in your family to pick one word to describe you. Who did you pick and what word did they use?
Willey: I picked my mom, and she chose the word “driven.”
As an athlete, what is a rule you live by?
Willey: I am my biggest critic. I will always work harder to make myself better.
How would you describe your personality?
Willey: I would describe my personality as being quiet and laid back, but I like to joke around with my friends. I am also modest and keep to myself.
What is your favorite snack food?
Willey: My all-time favorite candy is any kind of sour strips or sour punch bites.
Courtesy: Alex Willey
Is there a player you try to emulate?
Willey: I do not have a player that I emulate. I don’t focus on that. I focus on being the best leader I can be.
Favorite pregame song to listen to?
Willey: I don’t listen to pregame music while warming up. Instead, I like to focus and get in the zone.
Do you have a pregame ritual?
Willey: My only true pregame ritual is to tape up. I do have a pregame warmup prior to starting on the mound. I start off with long toss and after finishing that I move into my form throwing. When I feel comfortable with that, I start my pregame bullpen.
What is the best piece of advice you received from a coach or mentor?
Willey: The best piece of advice that I received from a mentor was, “To take the first step” and “walk before you run.”
Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it.
Willey: While playing the outfield, I dropped a routine fly ball but stayed with it and came up to throw a guy out running the bases. I never thought about dropping the ball; I just knew the next move was to throw the guy out.
Can you describe the frustration of your sophomore and junior years with injuries, Covid canceling a season and how you handled it?
Willey: During the Covid year I was able to play football and that kept me very busy. Most days I was working out twice a day also. I was playing football again my junior year in the spring when the season was moved. That kept me busy until I broke my hand and had to have surgery. That was tough to sit back, do nothing and have a cast on for almost eight weeks and then going into rehab. It was difficult to handle, but I kept being told that I would be back stronger because of it.
How has that affected being recruited and how have you handled that?
Willey: It has made being recruited challenging as most 2022 graduates were recruited in their junior year and most schools aren’t looking for 2022 graduates anymore. No one has seen me play since my freshman year, so college coaches see me as a “potential.” When I do receive communication from an interested school, I do my research on the school and program.
Describe the workout regimen and routine you went through this past winter.
Willey: I would wake up at 4 a.m. four days a week to go to my workout at The Performance Lab. I would do one hour of conditioning and agility training and one hour of strength conditioning. I would go back after school and do another hour of hitting and then get my throwing regimen in to finish up my day. I also worked with my pitching and hitting instructor Brad James. My workout regimen and routine helped me put the weight and muscle back on as I make myself stronger and better than the next guy to prove I’m ready to go to the next level.
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