The game of baseball is one of many complexities and intricacies. Will the runner try to steal? Is it a curveball or a fastball? Where will the ball end up? And at the heart of it all is the catcher, the one position that can see everything that happens on the field. It is the main position of second-year Journalism student, Jesse Berney, who also plays third base and pitcher for the Men's Baseball team. 

"As a catcher," he says, "you gotta be in a crouch position for more than half the game on sometimes extremely hot summer days… you gotta put your body on the line to make sure no ball gets past you, all while controlling the game." 

Finishing his third season with the Bruins, it's the mindset of wanting the ball and stepping up for your team that keeps Berney motivated. But what is most important to him, above all else, is loving the game. For anyone starting out, he says: "If you stick with baseball and spend time really developing your skills and love for the game both on and off the field I have no doubt you'll be successful." 

First starting out with tee-ball when he was four, Berney has been playing the sport for the last sixteen years, spending the majority of his baseball career with the Mississauga North Tigers. Both of his parents played the sport themselves as well as his older cousins, so when it was time to decide which sport to put their son in, Berney's parents decided to enrol their son in what they were most familiar with: baseball. 

Riding his momentum with the Tigers after the team clinched gold at the 2024 22U National Championships this past summer, Berney had an impressive 2024-25 season in Double-Blue. With 50 at-bats in 17 games, he recorded an outstanding .407 on-base percentage, .300 batting average, 9 RBIs, and 1 home run. 

"Jesse is the type of player that is loved by his teammates for what he does on and off the field," says Head Coach Frank of the Men's Baseball team. "On the field, he leads by example and plays multiple meaningful roles with us… Off the field, he has a care-free, laissez-faire demeanor that endears him to all his teammates." 

Without a doubt, Berney is truly a leader in his own right. He is a player who believes in doing whatever it takes to help the team get into scoring position or getting that last out. "Baseball is one of the only sports that keeps track of and highlights errors putting all the spotlight on you when a mistake is made," he says. "You need teammates who are gonna pick you up in situations like this to help you move on and make the next play for the team." 

And the next play goes even further than just the diamond as Berney is also heedful in his decisions as a student. After completing the one-year Media Fundamentals program at Sheridan, Berney decided to continue his education with the Journalism program to prepare himself for the Bachelor of Film and Television program. 

"My main focus was to apply for a Bachelor of Film and Television, but… I felt I wasn't quite ready for the program just yet.… So I decided on journalism as it has similar aspects of the BFTV program, allowing me to learn skills to help me better prepare for the BFTV program in the future. My program has a lot of hands-on work involved in it. Whether [it's] camera work or control room work I enjoy getting to experience the equipment firsthand." 

With plans to apply for the BFTV program's 2025 Fall term, Berney's future career goals lie within the arts. Whether it is creating videos, graphic designs, or clothing, he aspires for one thing: "inspire others with art."