April 21, 2008

Q: With the arrival of coach Yanko this season, and his pitching experience over his career, what has he helped you with the most on the mound?

Issac: The area where coach Yanko has made the biggest impact on me is the mental aspect of pitching. He has really helped me find ways to gain and to maintain confidence in myself and in my abilities as a pitcher.

Q: You started off your career at the University of Hawai'i, and then transferred here to Pacific. What prompted that move and what has been the biggest difference?

Issac: Well, the move really wasn't a direct one. I actually sat out a year before transferring to Pacific while recovering from Tommy John surgery. What prompted my move from the University of Hawaii was a lack of playing time, and Pacific was just one of the few options that I was considering when looking for somewhere else to play. After considering and weighing all my options, Pacific was the best choice for me to continue my education and my baseball career. The biggest difference between the two programs is the atmosphere. The atmosphere here at Pacific is much more intense, and baseball really does seem important to everyone involved in the program, which is one of my favorite things about playing for this team.

Q: What has had the biggest impact on you here at Pacific, during your two years here?

Issac: The biggest impact that Pacific had on me would probably have to be the size of the school. It really was a nice change to be in smaller classes where the teacher actually knows my name rather than being in a lecture class of 200 people and just being a student number.

Q: Who was your favorite baseball player growing up and why?

Issac: That would have to be a toss up between Chipper Jones and Tom Glavine. Growing up I was always a Braves fan and that's mostly because we have no professional team in Hawai`i and the Braves were always on TV. I Often times would try to mimic the playing styles of these players when I was playing, especially Tom Glavine because he is a pitcher and he has a pitching style much like myself. He's a pitcher that doesn't throw extremely hard, but still finds other ways to get hitters out and to be successful.

Q: Being so far away from home back in Hawaii, what do you do to keep yourself from getting homesick?

Issac: Well every once in a while me and a few other Pacific students from Hawai`i get together and do some things that would remind us of home, whether it be listening to Hawaiian music, cooking some Hawaiian food, or just kicking back and relaxing like how we would do at home. Also, every once in a while my mom sends me a care package with some of my favorite foods from home whenever she thinks I'm getting homesick.

Q: What are your plans for life after baseball?

Issac: Well after graduating this semester I'll be moving back home to Hawai`i, and I'm hoping my degree from Pacific will lead to jobs in teaching and coaching, hopefully at my alma mater.

Q: Who on the team are you closest with and why?

Issac: I definitely will have to say my two roommates, David Hovey and Cole Akins, are my closest friends on the team. I' m also pretty close with Brett Manning and Mike McKeever. These guys are all really nice people and I just seem to get along with them the best out of everyone on the team.

Q: What is your typical pre-game ritual?

Issac: My pre-game ritual changes from time to time, however it always involves prayer. I always give thanks to the Lord everyday and before every game for allowing me to continue to play the game that I've loved to play ever since I was a little kid.