Most freshman athletes come in and have to adjust to a new style of game play. But freshman center fielder Dan Rowe is consistently trying new things he never has before.

A natural infielder, mostly having played second base, Rowe has been thrown into the outfield as a collegiate athlete and is currently the starting center fielder. That would not be much of an issue if not for one thing.

“Being in the outfield is just a huge change for me,” Rowe said. “I never even owned an outfield mitt. I don’t think I even played outfield in little league. I knew I was terrible at judging the fly balls from the few times I was out there… It is just weird; I am just so used to the infield. I am getting the hang of it now.”

Rowe has been the lead off man for Eastern in 13 games this season, which is something he has never done before either.

“I just thank God he stuck with me,” Rowe said. “[Coach Schmitz] keeps me in there and gives me the opportunity; he has a lot of faith in my bat. It is nice to have that confidence.”

Rowe does not lack the confidence in anything he does, and wants to send a message to opposing pitchers: Do not hit him with a pitch. He has a black belt in karate.

“All the guys on the team know it and joke about it,” Rowe said. “They are like, ‘Can you kill me?’ There have been some interesting cases where some of the guys want me to kick them, I’m not going to say it hasn’t happened. I am pretty sure they regret it.”

If having a black belt in karate was not enough of a thrill for him, he can also ride a unicycle. He did not try it until he was 13 or 14 years old but he said he learned it pretty quickly.

“My buddy had one and my mom did it when she was younger,” Rowe said. “She used to always tell me stories. I gave it a try and it was really hard and I kept going at it for the whole day. There was no way I was going to bed until I figured it out. I learned it in one day. I couldn’t ride it until it was dark out. It was really rough the first time.”

If baseball does not pan out and he does not get drafted, he has some big plans for afterwards.

“I am going into law enforcement; I am a (sociology) major and criminology minor,” Rowe said. I want to move into SWAT and the ultimate goal is to work for the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency). I can’t see myself doing anything else. I am always on the go and I have always been interested in law enforcement stuff. I have always leaned towards it… There is no way I can sit behind a desk all day. That is just not me. I get bored really easily.”

That does not mean he is giving up on baseball. Every time he goes to a professional game he said he feels like he can be out there one day.

“Every time I go to a professional ball park I get a weird feeling like I step out there and I just get a weird feeling that most ball players get, like I can be out there,” Rowe said. “It reminds me to keep going. It would be the ultimate (goal) to get paid to play. I want to stay out of getting a real job as long as I can.”

At the end of the day, though, he is a family man. While on the field he admired former New York Yankee Roger Maris’ way of playing but when it comes to his heroes, he looks up to his father and grandfather.

“My parents have always been there for me and my dad really knows the game,” Rowe said. “I am trying to take the Rowe name to another level. My grandpa is a major influence on my life. He is the definition of a man. I definitely want to be like him in every way. He was just a great guy; he taught me the game of baseball. He was always there for me and always believed in me. I always told my grandpa that I would play on TV one day and each time I get closer to getting there. I believe he knows where I am. He didn’t get the opportunity to see me play Division I ball. I feel he is always there watching over me.”

Dion Martorano can be reached at 581-7944 or dmmartorano@eiu.edu.

Dan Rowe, a freshman sociology major from Crystal Lake, and center fielder for the Panther baseball team, steps behind the dugout during a baseball camp for Charleston-Mattoon youth started by graduate assistant coach James Conrad Monday evening. Rowe wa

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