Brave of the Week

Dane Funderburg

Image may contain: 1 person, smiling, baseball and outdoor We’d like to introduce our Brave of the Week…Mr. Dane Funderburg.

“Turtle” or “Dane-O” is in his second season with the Braves and currently a proud player on the 9U team but he has been playing baseball since he was able to pick up a bat.

“Dane-O” proudly wears #1 on the back of his jersey but plays for his brothers on his team. Dane said he picked that number “because it is my favorite number”.

So “Turtle”, why do you like playing baseball? “I get to have fun with my friends.” We think that is the most important part of playing baseball Dane, so keep having fun.

We were wondering if he had a favorite baseball player in mind. Dane said his favorite baseball player is “Jackie Robinson”. Nice choice “Dane-O”, he definitely changed the game of baseball forever.

With all of the work Dane puts in for his teammates we were sure that he didn’t have time to be involved with any other sports, but we were wrong. Dane said he also plays football but also said, “baseball is my favorite”.

Nice “Turtle”, way to be a multi-sport athlete. Is there anything outside of sports Dane likes to do? Absolutely! “Dane-O” said he likes to “bounce on the trampoline and ride my bike”. Way to stay active Dane.

We were wondering about his family and if he had any siblings. Dane has an older sister, Marin. You may have seen her at one of Dane’s games probably running around making sure all of the “BabyBraves” are safe. Although they fight like, well, brother and sister, we bet if you asked her, she would say she is proud of Dane. Thanks for your support Marin!

If you were curious about Dane’s future, he said he is focused and wants to be a “Professional Baseball Player”. Keep working hard “Dane-O” and your dreams can become reality.

Alright “Turtle”, enough about sports for a moment. What is your favorite subject in school? “Gym, because we get to play games.” Well played Dane well played.

Okay, so what is your favorite hobby and why? Dane said, “playing outside, because it keeps me active”. He is definitely active and probably has a smile on his face during all of his activities.

With all of that energy we couldn’t wait until he told us what his favorite food is. “Dane-O” said “chicken nuggets because they taste SO good”. Mmmm, we are all hungry for chicken nuggets now. Thanks Dane.

We had to end the interview so we finished by asking him what is the BEST part about being a BRAVE? “Dane-O” said, “I get to play baseball with my friends, and we play fair”.

Please join us in thanking Dane Funderburg for being our Brave of the Week!

Kaden Hampshire

Image may contain: 2 people, people playing sports and baseball

Kaden is an elite athlete who is currently in his first season with the 8U Braves. Kaden also answers to the nickname, “Airhorn”. He received that nickname from his soccer team because one game his coach said, “he’s so quiet they are going to give him an airhorn on the field” and it just stuck.

“Airhorn” choose #1 to wear on his back while he battles on the diamond with his Braves brothers. He picked that number because “I’ve been #1 for a while now and it’s a cool number”. We agree Kaden, you are #1!

We asked him why he likes playing baseball. “Airhorn” said, “Because it’s fun to play with your teammates and fun to win”. Taking a look at your team’s wins, you have been having a lot of fun.

We were wondering who his favorite baseball player was…so we asked. “Airhorn” said that Max Scherzer from the Washington Nationals is his favorite. Nice pick Kaden.

So “Airhorn”, do you play any other sports besides baseball? “Yes, soccer, basketball and running.” Which one is your favorite? “Well, I love them all.”

Kaden was asked if there is anything he likes to do outside of sports? He said he likes to play board games and has loved Monopoly ever since he was little.

So, with all of his activities and board games you would think he is a lonely child, right? No! Kaden has a brother, Tyler, and sister, Hallie. Kaden is the oldest and teaches them everything he knows. I’m sure if you drive by “Airhorn’s” house you will see him playing baseball with his brother in the yard. As a matter of fact, we have even seen a full baseball game in his backyard before. All of the kids from the area come running when the Hampshires are out playing.

We were wondering what he wants to be when he grows up. We were putting our money on a banker or real estate owner from playing Monopoly so much but “Airhorn” said “a professional athlete”. Well, that was our second guess.

As serious as Kaden is on the baseball diamond, you wouldn’t think that he also has a great sense of humor. Well we got a glimpse of his humor when we asked him what his favorite subject in school is and why. “Airhorn” said while laughing “does gym count as a subject?” After wiping our tears from our eyes from laughing so hard we were able to get a different answer. “Math”, Kaden said, “because I like counting”.

So “Airhorn” what is your favorite hobby and why? “Hiking, because you can pick up trash and it’s fun exploring.” Way to go Kaden! Doing the right thing to preserve this beautiful planet.

With all of the energy it takes to run around and do all of the different activities, we couldn’t wait until we asked him what his favorite food was. Kaden said, “Mac-n-Cheese, because it tastes good”. I don’t know about you, but our mouths are watering just thinking about it.

We had to end the interview, so we finished by asking him what the best part is about being a Brave. “Airhorn” said “you get to have fun with your teammates and snacks after every game!”

Thank you, Kaden for being our BRAVE OF THE WEEK!

Joshua Heath

Image may contain: 1 person, playing a sport, baseball and outdoor

We’d like to introduce our BRAVE OF THE WEEK…. Mr. Joshua Heath.

“Josh” proudly wears #2 on his jersey as he battles with the rest of his Braves baseball brothers on the diamond. He chose that number because it is his favorite number.

Joshua loves playing baseball. We recently asked him what he likes most about baseball. Josh said, “It’s fun and I like to get dirty!” Looking at his uniform after games it seems like he is having a blast.

We were curious about who his favorite baseball player was. Josh claimed Miguel Cabrera from the Detroit Lions is his favorite. Nice pick Joshua!

Several people have noticed how talented Josh is and were wondering if he played any other sports. Well…we asked. Josh said he plays soccer also. Why soccer? “…it keeps me in shape, I play all year round.” We followed up by asking him which is his favorite, baseball or soccer? Understandably he couldn’t decide which one was his favorite.

Even though Joshua is active in sports all year long, we still asked him what he likes to do outside of sports. Video games? No. Watch television? No. Josh likes to work on his favorite subject in school which is math and concentrates on getting good grades! Definitely a student athlete with an emphasis on student. Way to represent the Braves with your brain power Josh. When he isn’t in the classroom, he enjoys swimming during the summer break.

If anyone was wondering where he gets his talent from just ask his older brother Nicholas. We are sure he will tell you.

Joshua definitely has a plan for his future. We asked him what he wanted to be when he grows up. Prepare yourself for his answer. “Successful – I want to work hard and do well in something, not sure what yet.” WOW Josh, very impressive.

We were wondering if he had a favorite hobby and if so, why it was his favorite. Josh said, “anything sports related because it fills up my free time.”

With all of his activities and running around and studying Joshua will definitely need some food to keep him going. So, Josh, what is your favorite food and why? “Hamburgers. Because…HAMBURGERS!” We couldn’t have said it better Josh.

Finally, we ended by asking Josh what is the best part about being a Brave? He said “being on a baseball team with friends is fun. We have a great place to play and good coaches.”

Please take a moment and join us in thanking Joshua Heath for being our Brave of the Week!

Preston McMaken

Image may contain: 1 person, smiling, standing, hat and outdoor We are proud to announce you to Mr. Preston McMaken!

“P-Dave” is in his second season as a Brave and is currently a proud teammate on the 10U team. Several years ago, Preston chose #2 to wear on his back and continues to pick #2 every season as it has become his lucky number.

“P-Dave” loves baseball because “it’s a fun sport to learn and grow in.” We asked him who his favorite player is. He is a proud fan of the Cincinnati Reds so it was no surprise that he picked Scooter Gennett.

We are confident you have seen Preston competing on the soccer field, which is another sport he loves to play, but when we asked him which one his favorite was? He said, “baseball is my favorite.”

When “P-Dave” isn’t on the field, he is mostly noticed outside playing with his friends. He might also be hanging with his older brother Jack. Bet you can’t guess what his favorite hobby is. “I like to go fishing to see what different types of fish I can catch.”

Preston dreams of playing in the majors when he grows up for the Cincinnati Reds. As a backup plan to baseball he works hard studying math, which happens to be his favorite subject in school. We asked why math was his favorite subject. “P-Dave” said, because it’s fun to solve problems and get the answers.

I scream, you scream.... Preston screams for ice cream! Only because it happens to be his favorite food, but we think he probably would eat anything sweet.

We ended the interview by asking “P-Dave” what is the best part about being a Brave. He answered, “the connection I have made with the players on my team...we are good at supporting each other.”

Well Preston we all supper you and congratulate you on being Brave of the Week!

Jace Palmer

Image may contain: 1 person, playing a sport, standing, baseball and outdoor This week we are featuring Mr. Jace Palmer.
“JP” is 9 years old and in his second season as a Piqua Brave. He wears #5 on his jersey and chose that number because it was his dads number when he played sports.

Jace has a 4 year old brother, Kai who you have probably seen hanging out in the dugout or playing in the dirt.

Jace is considered a three sport athlete but has been seen on podiums with medals or trophies in just about every sport. When “JP” isn’t sitting down batters with strikeouts, he is seen on the basketball court, “breaking ankles” and raining three pointers or on the football field scoring touchdowns. So, which one is his favorite? “ They are all pretty equal with basketball a little more.” He was asked what he likes about baseball. He said, “I like to hit the ball hard and strike people out when I pitch.”

When Jace isn’t on the field or a court he likes to sit and relax at home while playing xbox chowing down on some pizza which happens to be his favorite food. Why? “Because the cheese is melty.” His hobby is basically anything outside because “there is so much to do.”

Jace is considered an elite athlete but he is also an elite student. We asked him what his favorite subject at school is. He said, “Math, because it’s fun.”

“JP” told us he wants to be a famous baseball player or basketball player when he grows up. I think he is on the right track.

I bet you can’t guess who’s Jace’s favorite baseball player is..... if you guessed Billy Hamilton you are correct!

Finally, we asked him what the best part about being a Brave is. “JP” said “my teammates and coaches who help me.”

Jace Palmer, your Brave of the Week!!!!

Luke Jensvold

Image may contain: 2 people, people smiling, people playing sports, baseball and outdoor This weeks Brave of the Week is Mr. Luke Jensvold. “Rascal” is in his first season as a Brave and loves every part of it. We asked him what he likes most about baseball. He said, “I like playing with my friends and hitting homeruns!” Well “Rascal” we like when you do that too.

Luke chose #17 as his number because, well 7 is a lucky number and 1 is the very first number. Can you guess who his favorite baseball player is? If you guessed Jackie Robinson, you are correct.

Luke has one brother, who is older than him, but that doesn’t let that stop him from trying to beat him at everything.

When Luke isn’t hitting dingers, you can catch him on the football field practicing his Heisman pose. All of his athletic ability and his love of being in team sports will definitely help him out in the future as he wants to be either a Police Officer or Firefighter.

When “Rascal” isn’t bashing the ball or scoring touchdowns he enjoys taking his bike out and exploring the neighborhood.

One of Luke’s fondest memories is when he plays pass with his dad. I’m sure that is one of your dads fondest memories too Luke!

Even though school is almost over we asked him his favorite subject and he said he loves reading.

Luke’s favorite food is pizza. I’m sure he will have several pizza parties with his teammates and friends in the near future.

We ended by asking him what his favorite part of being a Brave is and he said “being the catcher”.

We are looking forward to watching Luke behind the plate and at the plate hitting those homerums. Thank you, Luke, for being our Brave of the Week

Cohen Brown

This week’s Brave of the Week is Cohen Brown. Cohen, also known as Coco, is a member of the 12U Braves team. He started his Braves journey 3 years ago during our inaugural season. Coco was chosen by his coaches to be Brave of the Week because he demonstrates all the qualities we look for in a Piqua Brave; strong leadership, sound character, good sportsmanship, and responds well to coaching. He wears number 12 because it has been his favorite number and he has kept that number since joining the Braves. Baseball is Coco’s favorite sport to play because he has so much fun on the field and off with his teammates. His favorite baseball player is Joey Votto.

Outside of baseball, Coco plays basketball, even though baseball is his favorite! He also loves to hang out and play games with his friends. Cohen is not sure what he wants to be when he grows up, but thinks it would be really cool and fun to be a professional baseball player. Maybe we will see Coco in the Big Leagues one day!

Cohen’s favorite subject in school is Math, because he is really good at it! His hobbies include all things sports, because they are fun. When it comes to food, Coco knows exactly what he would choose… BBQ RIBS! Who can blame him?!

Cohen believe the best part of being a Piqua Brave is being a part of his team and getting to play baseball and hang out with his friends. Thank you Cohen Brown for being our Brave of the Week!

Jackson Bowman

This weeks Brave of the Week is Mr. Jackson Bowman. "Jacky" is completely in love with baseball and has been playing half of his life (6years!). Jacky is entering his second season as a Brave and considers his 10U teammates part of his family.

Jackson chose #8 as his number because it is his lucky number. It is his lucky number because he was born on the 8th day of the 8th month in the 8th year of this century!

Jackson has 1 brother and 1 sister, and I bet you wouldn't know that he is an uncle also! He has 1 nephew and 1 niece.

When Jackson isn't bashing the ball with a bat, he is seen on the football field mowing the other team over. He plans on using his skills later in his life where he hopes to become a professional baseball player AND a business owner. He will be using a lot of numbers in the future, but he is not worried, since math is his favorite subject in school.

When Jacky isn't perfecting his sport or reading business insider magazine (lol), he loves playing video games and hanging out with his buddies.

Jackson's favorite food is not your typical for a 10 year old...fettuccine!! He will need that energy because his favorite part about baseball is being an outfielder.

We ended by asking him what his favorite part about being a Brave is and Jacky said: "I get to play a lot of baseball!"

We are looking forward to watching Jackson throw runners out from the outfield this season! We know he will give 110% on the field for himself and his team. Thank you Jackson for being out Brave of the Week!

Kale Baumann

This weeks Brave of the Week is Mr. Kale Baumann!
"Superman" is 8 years old and in his second season with the Braves. He is showing tremendous progress from 4 years ago when he first picked up a baseball. He proudly wears #15 on his back but plays for his 9U teammates. "Snailz" has 3 older siblings, two sisters and one brother. All of whom are supportive and are commonly seen attending Kale's games to cheer him on.

"Cutie Patootie" is a two sport athlete not only excelling at baseball, but also bringing the pain on the football field as well. "Stretch" does not take many breaks from his love of sports as he enjoys practicing baseball and football. When he is not fine tuning his athletic skills, he loves riding his bike and spending time with his family.

One of Kale's fondest memories while growing up is learning to ride his bike. He is itching for warmer weather so he can get outside and ride. Since he can't ride right now, he has chosen Sunday as his favorite day because he gets to practice baseball and that "is fun"!

Kale is a selfless individual who puts others before himself. His coaches see it daily! I guess that makes sense because Kale wants to be an "Army guy" when he grows up.

Kale's favorite subject in school is math and is favorite food is a bag of Doritos and Pizza. When asked what his favorite part about being a Brave is, he replied "I get to see my friends, have fun and have great coaches". Kale's favorite part about baseball in general is hitting.

Before the interview was done, Kale wanted everyone to know the he "always wants to play with the Braves!"

Thank you Kale Baumann for being our Brave of the Week!

Landon Bryant

We would like to introduce our BRAVE OF THE WEEK... Mr. Landon Bryant. This is Landon's 1st season as a Brave and is currently a member of the 8U team. He wears number 11 and chose this number because it is Julio Jones’ number. He was nominated by his coaches because he demonstrates all of the qualities we look for in a Piqua Brave; strong leadership, sound character, good attitude, and responds well to coaching.

Landon has 2 brothers to argue with, but at the end of the day they all cheer each other on. Landon does not just play baseball... he also enjoys football and basketball. One of Landon’s fondest memories growing up is when he went to Myrtle Beach and saw the ocean for the first time. His favorite day of the week is Saturday with Sunday coming in at a close second. He loves the weekend because there’s no school and he gets to play basketball games and practice baseball. Landon's favorite subject in school is math because it is what he is the best at. Landon sees himself as a professional video gamer in the future because he absolutely loves Fortnite.

Fun fact about Landon...his favorite meal is spaghetti.

Landon’s favorite part about being a Brave is learning a lot about baseball and having a lot of fun! When asked what his favorite part about baseball was he replied, “Catching a fly ball and getting the batter out!” We're looking forward to him showing off his skills this Spring!

Thank you, Landon Bryant, for being this week’s BRAVE OF THE WEEK!

Jackson Hemmert

We would like to introduce our BRAVE OF THE WEEK... Mr. Jackson Hemmert. This is Jackson's 3rd season as a Brave, but he has been playing baseball for 4 years. He proudly wear number 8 on his back, but plays for the name on the front. He choose this number because it was his football number when he joined the Braves. Jackson is currently a member of the Braves 12U team. He was nominated by his coaches because he demonstrates all the qualities we look for in a Piqua Brave; strong leadership, sound character, good sportsmanship, and responds well to coaching.

"Jack" has 3 sisters and 2 brothers to cheer him on when he plays. Jackson does not just play baseball... he also enjoys soccer and running cross country. When he is not playing sports, he enjoys spending time with his friends or playing XBox. His favorite day of the week is Saturday, probably because there is no school. Speaking of school...Jackson's favorite subject is math. He is going to need those good grades for when he grows up as he plans to be either a lawyer or computer engineer.

Fun fact about Jackson...his favorite snack is frozen blueberries.

Jackson's favorite part about being a Brave is becoming a better player and learning from not only his coaches, but his teammates as well. We're looking forward to him showing off his skills this Spring!

Thank you Jackson Hemmert for being the BRAVE OF THE WEEK!

Stay tuned each week for a new Brave of the Week as we highlight our awesome Braves players.