GREENSBORO, N.C. — Four years ago, baseball dreams came true for Wesleyan Christian Academy alum Caleb Cozart when he committed to play at the University of North Carolina. As soon as his career in Chapel Hill started, it was abruptly cut short.
"You have to realize that there's more to life than baseball," Cozart said.
For the pitcher, toughness was displayed early on in his career.
"COVID hit early on; I blew my elbow out my 12th pitch in my fall season at Chapel Hill," Cozart said. "That was the hardest mental struggle I had to go through."
To prevail, he traded in a baseball diamond for a medical lab by participating in a concussion study.
"They pay you 800 bucks and broke freshman me in college was like, absolutely I'll do that," Cozart joked.
But the next curveball Caleb was hit with was something he never expected.
"I go to do the first MRI, and a day later, I'm sitting in the dugout for one of our games, and the trainer came up to me," Cozart shared. "They told me they found something and need to do more testing."
Doctors found a tumor on Cozart's brain.
"I had to call my parents afterward, and that was probably the hardest phone call," Cozart recalled.
Instead of hanging up his cleats, Cozart chose to persevere the only way he knew how.
"After Regionals in 2021, I had that removed and no one knew what the recovery process would be like," Cozart explained. "They just told me whatever felt right, you can do. I was in the hospital for a day and a half then was back home lifting within a week and a half."
Three years later, Cozart took his talents closer to home to play for UNC Greensboro.
"I realized I had a second chance at life," Cozart said. "I don't take a day for granted after that."
"What he brings to the yard from a leadership perspective, but also team wise, we wouldn't be where we are without him," UNCG Interim Baseball Head Coach Cody Ellis said. "He's an even better human than baseball player."
"The biggest thing I try to do with baseball is use my platform to influence the younger generation," Cozart stated. "Trying to mentor them, show them how it should be done and what you need to do to come back from failure when you literally play a sport that's built on failure."
Cozart broke UNCG's single-season home run record this season with 18 on April 25.
"Coach Ellis told me after the game at practice the next day that he envisioned me doing it," Cozart shared. "He said it was poetic, which I think is a pretty good quote for it."
For Cozart, it goes beyond the stats. This season is about him not only getting a second chance at the sport he loves but also at life.
"How hard I work and how much time I've put in mentally and physically", Cozart went on to say. "After all I've been through God has blessed me with the best year that I could have as my final year."
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