After spring training, Buckley was assigned to the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Houston Astros. Based out of Fayetteville, North Carolina, his daily responsibilities include tracking and monitoring athlete workload, using weight room technology to track athlete resiliency, coaching weight room sessions, and leading on-field stretching. He is also responsible for outfield defense, base running and coaches first base during games.
“I started playing baseball when I was four years old. It was, and still is, a sport that I love,” Buckley said. “The opportunity to play in college was another thing that attracted me to Castleton.”
Buckley transferred to the Castleton campus in the spring semester of his freshman year and declared an Exercise and Sports Science major with the goal of pursuing a career in strength and conditioning after graduation.
“I knew a career in strength and conditioning was a way to always be involved in sports, especially baseball. I told myself that working specifically in baseball would be a dream, but I knew there might be opportunities elsewhere before I could get into the baseball realm. I find myself very fortunate to work within baseball at such a young age, and in no way did I anticipate it would happen that quickly,” he said.
He credits Exercise Science Program Coordinator Dr. Justin Carlstrom with giving him the tools and resources to succeed.
“The way Dr. Carlstrom mapped out and taught the program was what really stuck with me. He presented the material in a way that reassured me it was something I was passionate about,” he said.
In this new role, there is no typical day for Buckley. On days the team is home, he can be found at lift groups for a few hours in the afternoon, followed by stretch and warm-up for position players, and practice until the evening for a 7 p.m. game. For away games, the day is more spread out, with lift groups in the morning.
Working for a top-notch organization with a strong understanding of player development has provided Buckley the opportunity to learn something new every day.
