PBR Missouri recently caught up with unsigned senior Oday Alyatim from Hazelwood West. Alyatim is coming off of an impressive performance at the PBR Unsigned Senior event, and looking to build upon his 2011 season where he hit .342 with two doubles, one triple, one home run, and seventeen RBIs.

PBR: You put up some impressive numbers and opened a lot of eyes last season as a junior, have you received interest from colleges, and what colleges are you interested in?

Alyatim: I received interest from Fontbonne, Truman and a couple lower NAIA colleges.

PBR: What are you doing now in preparation for the high school season?

Alyatim: I’ve been working out a couple days a week at my high school and local gym. I hit at my local batting cages four times a week with my high school or summer team. Then every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:00 to 9:00, I catch pitching lessons for Al Nipper to keep my legs in shape.

PBR: You participated in some higher profile showcases and tournaments over the summer, what did you take away from those experiences?

Alyatim: I’ve noticed colleges look more for mechanics, than how well you preform. If you’re looking good, they’ll understand if you had a bad day.

PBR: You have played with and against some top talent in the Midwest, how do you feel that has prepared you going into your senior year?

Alyatim: It showed me my competition if I want to get far in this sport. Playing against really good players make me want to push my self to out play those kids. I’d rather lose ten to nothing, than win fifty to zero.

PBR: Do you feel playing in the St. Louis area prepares a player to be ready for college?

Alyatim: There’s really good completion in this area. I’ve played with kids who went DI to kids who got drafted out of high school, you don’t find that in just any city!

PBR: When you’re not competing in the spring, are there certain things you do to stay in the best physical shape you can?

Alyatim: I try to always stay I shape by running, working out and catching so when spring comes it won’t be as hard to catch a full seven innngs!

PBR: As you go into your senior season, are there goals you have set out to accomplish?

Alyatim: My biggest goal is for my team to win districts! As for me, offensively, I want to have at least a .400 batting average, with a couple homeruns. Defensively, I don’t want any passed balls, and I want runners to be scared of running on me.

PBR: Looking back, who did you play for this summer and how did you feel you fared against summer competition?

Alyatim: I played for the American National Eagles, and in the SLABA league, were in I feel like besides for two teams the competition wasn’t that good. The only time I felt really challenged were in out of town tournaments.