Getting to
Know ... Shayne Busti
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Q: What baseball memory stands out the most for you?
A: Winning the N.A.B.F. World Series in 2004 and hitting a ball over the
scoreboard in the
homerun derby.
Q: What is the best part of being a college athlete?
A: I like how sometimes people will come up and talk to you just because you play a sport.
Q: What is the best advice you have ever received from a coach?
A: Always hustle.
Q: Who is your most influential role model?
A: My father.
Q: What celebrity would you most like to meet?
A: Owen Wilson or Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Q: Do you have a favorite type of music you listen to?
A: Country and hard, aggressive metal. Mostly country, but I need the metal edge in the weight room.
Q: What is your favorite movie?
A: Dumb and Dumber, Devils Rejects, and Super Troopers.
Q: What is your favorite sports movie?
A: Rookie of the Year.
Q: Do you have a favorite food or meal?
A: I love all food and love eating.
Q: What is your favorite holiday?
A: I enjoy Thanksgiving because of the family and food.
Q: What is your favorite professional baseball team?
A: Boston Red Sox.
Q: Who is your favorite professional baseball player?
A: Kevin Youkilis and Khalil Greene. They both are proven stars and are legitimate role models for kids.
Q: Name one thing that people would be surprised to learn about you.
A: I cannot go to sleep without the television on and I love watching NASCAR.
Q: What is the place that you haven’t traveled to, that you would most like to visit?
A: I would like to travel to Germany. They have a rich history and the scenery looks very attractive.
Q: What would be your dream job?
A: Writing for ESPN or 8 Lug. Sports and trucks have always been a passion and I want to further that passion and turn it into a job.
Q: What is it that attracted you to IUP?
A: The size. I was attracted to how close the students and faculty was even with 14,000 students. I did not want to go to a small school.
Q: What do you like most about the city of Indiana?
A: I like Indiana because it is not a big city like Pittsburgh. I am from a small town and I like the small town feel of Indiana. I also love talking to the local families around because they are very nice people.
Q: What baseball team in the PSAC would you most like to beat?
A: I personally want to beat every team in the PSAC. I want to win every time I put spikes on; but if I had to pick, I would say Shippensburg. They always make our games interesting and I think that is the only team in the PSAC that is comparable to us.
Q: What is your favorite thing about the sport of baseball?
A: It is such a team sport and requires a lot of unity. I also like baseball because even if you have a bad day offensively, you can still make an impact defensively. Hitting a 90 mile-per-hour baseball is one of the hardest things to do in all sports and I love that I am playing.
Q: What is your earliest baseball memory?
A: My dad pitching to me when I was really young at my house and my Grandpap chasing the balls.
Q: If you could play any other sport in college, what would it be?
A: Football. I love football almost as much as baseball and wish I could still play sometimes.
Q: What (if any) pre-game superstitions or rituals do you have?
A: Usually I have many superstitions that I do before every game. I like to line up my baseball bat with my elbow pad strapped around it, my glove, my hat and anything else that I will need along the fence next to each other as I sit on the bench and think. I do not know why I do it but I have to do it every game.
Q: What are some of your favorite things to do in your spare time when you are not playing baseball?
A: I like to drive my truck around, lift a lot of weights, talk to my family, spend time with my girlfriend, and write.
Q: What was your favorite TV show growing up?
A: I always enjoyed watching the Simpsons and the Nickelodeon game shows like Double Dare.
Q: What is your favorite TV show now? Do you have a favorite character on that show?
A: My favorite TV shows are Family Guy and Extreme 4x4. My favorite character on Family Guy is Peter because he is always getting into funny situations.
Q: What are your career goals
A: I would like to write for a sports or truck magazine. Trucks and sports have been two things I have always been interested in and I would like to continue with those interests.
Q: What does it take to be academically successful at IUP?
A: Time management and good study skills. Time is something a lot of my teammates and I often lose throughout the day so managing your study times becomes crucial. Also, you must be able to know when to study and when to relax. I like to do my relaxing after practice and open my books afterward.
Q: What does it take to be athletically successful at IUP?
A: A strong work ethic, great coaches, helpful teammates, motivation and a good atmosphere that breeds success. Your work ethic must go from the baseball diamond to the weight room to the classroom. Coaches need to be there to help you out with problems in your swing and problems in life; they are very important. You cannot be successful, personally or as a team, without quality teammates. They are your best friends but are also able to tell you to raise the bar. You need to be motivated throughout the long days. Often, many of us do not have a lot of time to even eat, so your motivation must stay with you and not leave when at practice. Finally, the atmosphere here is perfect for success because everyone is here to help you succeed, from the administration to Rob in the training room to Bob in the stands.