Venable discusses future plans, draft

Recently, Daily Princetonian senior writer Clarke Smith sat down with senior basketball and baseball standout Will Venable. They discussed eating right, getting drafted and transitioning between two sports.

This season, Venable was named first-team All-Ivy League in baseball, after being named first-team All-Ivy in basketball as a sophomore. The double honor is a feat that only one other individual in history has accomplished — fellow Tiger Chris Young '02.

Daily Princetonian: How would you characterize your general experience at Princeton as a two-sport athlete?

Will Venable: A lot of fun. It's tough, and you learn a lot from having to deal with everything, but it's a great experience and I wouldn't give it up for anything.

DP: What would you say were your greatest challenges?

WV: Really early on I'd say incorporating school and practice and everything. I was tired every day and it was kind of tough dealing with all the different responsibilities on a daily basis, especially as a kid coming right out of high school. It was definitely something I had to figure out as to getting into a routine.

DP: What sport were you recruited here to play?

WV: I was recruited here to play basketball. I talked to [baseball head coach] Scott Bradley when I came here on a recruiting trip about the possibility of playing baseball, and he said he would love to have me.

DP: So, during the fall in the off-season, what sport would you play more of: basketball or baseball?

WV: Probably more basketball. From a standpoint of trying to stay in shape and everything, it just makes a lot of sense.

DP: Is it difficult to get into the baseball season later than your teammates, since you still are playing basketball when the season starts?

WV: It's definitely difficult. During the basketball season, a couple of times a week I have to go work out and try to stay in some kind of baseball shape. Every season, I only miss a couple of games, but everyone else is ahead of me as far as the time they are able to put in for practice and everything.

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DP: What do you think the best parts about being a two-sport athlete are?

WV: You get opportunities to compete every day and play a lot of games. That's what a lot of us are here for is to compete because we love to play and love the challenge. It's definitely a challenge throughout the year instead of for half of the year.

DP: Which sport do you prefer playing?

WV: You know I couldn't even tell you, I like them both the same. They both have different parts about them that I like.

DP: After being drafted last spring [the Baltimore Orioles selected him in the 15th round], did the prospect of your senior basketball season play into your decision to stay at Princeton at all?

WV: Not so much; I really did not have an opportunity. Even though I was drafted, there was not really a hard decision to make. There were no offers as far as a contract went, so it wasn't a tough decision.

DP: What are your plans for the future?

WV: Hopefully, with the draft, I'm going to be picked up by somebody and be playing baseball within a month or two.

DP: Last question: Do you have any tips or advice for other two-sport athletes who come here?

WV: I would just say to find a way early on to get into a routine. I mean, eat right and get some sleep because sports are going to take up the whole year, and having all that along with work really takes a toll on you.