Meet the Jackfish: Justin Gideon
When he’s not ripping baseballs, Justin Gideon is writing screenplays.
The 27-year-old outfielder for the Welland Jackfish, who is tied for the Intercounty Baseball League lead in home runs with 11, is a big fan of movies and television which led him to his other passion.
“I love creative writing,” the Pickering native said. “I’ve never sent it off or anything. I’ve written three movies and sketches. It’s something fun to do, especially during COVID I could do a lot of that.
“It’s something I probably think I could do in the long run. It’s pretty fun.”
For now, Gideon is content to work at baseball camps and man right field for the Jackfish.
Welland picked up the Brock graduate recently from the Hamilton Cardinals and Jackfish manner Brian Essery said Gideon is a perfect for the team.
“He’s one of the best hitters in the IBL,” Essery said. “He’s that good. He offers everything we like. He has speed, power and plays really good defence.
“He fits the mould of our team.”
The Jackfish have been at or near the top of the standings all season, but when the Gideon expressed interest in joining the Jackfish, the team jumped at the opportunity.
“When you can acquire an MVP candidate every year — he has a really good shot at winning an MVP again this year — you have to jump at it,” Essery said. “He wanted to come here. It’s a great place to play. We’re a fun team to play for. We’re high energy, we’re a little bit reckless, we take a lot of chances, and we have a lot of fun.”
Gideon began his IBL career in Burlington in 2015 before moving to Hamilton in 2019.
“I wanted to play in a good environment and the way the ownership cares about the product, on and off the field, it’s definitely appealing for a player for sure,” he said. “Hamilton wasn’t making as many improvements as I would have liked and here every year it just gets exponentially better and it’s definitely something I wanted to be part of.”
Gideon said the adjustment from a Cardinal to a Jackfish has been a smooth one.
“All the guys and coaches have been super supportive. I played against these guys for a number of years and with these guys as well so I am familiar with them. Everyone has been really welcoming so it’s been an easy transition.”
Gideon has been batting second in the order and is enjoying being surrounded by a talented squad.
“It’s fantastic. Takes the pressure off, but at the same time, everyone is hitting around you so you want to hit too. It’s a different type of pressure.”
Gideon, who graduated from Brock with a degree in recreation and leisure, enjoyed him time as a Badger.
“I was never really heavily recruited but I had a pretty good year. I was solid. Started every game. I was able to develop and start and that was very beneficial to me. Every year I just got better and I turned into a go-to guy in Burlington.”
Dear reader. If you liked this story or one of the 4,300 other stories found on our website, please consider hitting the Support Us button on the right-hand side of our home page and making a PayPal contribution to our website. Your support would be much appreciated. If you are a business owner, please consider advertising on our site. Our rates are reasonable and we provide plenty of exposure for your business. Contact bpotrecz@outlook.com for more information.
