Colin Balester-Baseball & Surfing

[Eric Carson]

VIERA — Even baseball players need a release, and for Washington Nationals catcher Devin Ivany and pitcher Collin Balester, it's surfing.




Ivany, 27, a native of Delray Beach, grew up surfing along Florida's East Coast, including both sides of Sebastian Inlet. Balester, 23, a native of Huntington Beach, Calif., grew up plying the West Coast surf 3,000 miles away.
And while both admit there's no way to compare the small, glassy waves found in Florida with the pounding surf of California, they both offer challenges and relaxation.
They've even gotten center fielder Nyjer Morgan into the act, and he purchased a board from Balester's father, Tom, a long-time board shaper.
"He's been doing it for about 25 years," Balester said of his father. "He grew up just kind of enjoying doing that kind of stuff and it turned out to be owning his own business and he's done a good job in Huntington Beach. He's well-known around that area."
So it's only natural that surfing has been a major part of Collin Balester's life.
"I still enjoy going out there and catching a couple of waves," Balester said. "When it comes to baseball, I kind of stick to playing baseball."
When he does surf, the 6-foot-5 Balester, who says he can hold his own, opts for a board that's short for him -- about a 7-footer.
"It's enjoyable, it just kind of frees the mind to go out in the water. It strengthens the shoulders paddling around."
Ivany also enjoys surfing, naturally.
He doesn't surf as much as he used to since he's now playing baseball for a living, and like Balestar, trying to make the Nationals roster.
"When I was younger, I surfed a lot," he said. "We used to go to Sebastian Inlet, West Palm Beach, a place called Reef Road and anywhere up the coast where we could find them, we were going.
"I still like to get out there as much as I can."
Ivany surfs both short and long boards, and like Balestar, uses it as a release.
"It's good exercise, it's nice to be out there on the water on a nice day," he said.
Contact DeCotis at 242-3786 or mdecotis@floridatoday.com

[kidrock]

maybe David Wells could teach the young Balestar a thing or two (about pitching)