Interview by Abernathy Cochran intern and Gainesville High School senior Grady Vardeman

Meet Andrew Estes! Andrew is a senior at Lakeview Academy and is committed to play baseball at Wofford in Spartanburg, S.C. He said besides playing baseball he loves to fish. His parents are Sam and Laura Estes and he has two older brothers; Zach and Martin.
We want to congratulate Andrew on his upcoming graduation and wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Question: What inspired you to play baseball over other sports?
Answer: “I always grew up playing baseball, when I was younger I tired out a whole bunch of other sports; soccer, basketball, baseball, and football. Just over the years I stuck with baseball and I had more fun playing it as well. My mom said when I was growing up I always had a baseball in my hand.”

Q: What is your favorite pitch to hit?
A: “Fastball middle in on the plate, you can’t beat that.”

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Hall County, and what do you love there?
A: “I love Olive Garden and my go-to food there is the Shrimp Fettuccine.”

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: “I’d really like to travel to France or really anywhere in Europe, I just want to check out the different cultures they have there.”

Q: What is your favorite baseball movie?
A: “’The Sandlot’ is definitely up there along with ‘Benchwarmers.’”

Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: “If you give 100% one day the next day you need to go out and work 101%.”

Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “I’ve always wanted to go skydiving, my dad was in the 82nd Airborne so I’ve grown up hearing those stories, so I’ve always wanted to go.”

Q: What is your favorite music/ 3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?
A: “Zac Brown Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Johnny Cash.”

Q: What current or local business makes you most nostalgic about Hall County?
A: “Inn-between Deli, my buddies and I always go there. When I think of their sandwich I think of Gainesville.”

Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Hall County?
A: “I think how Gainesville incorporates the chicken statues across town is not only hilarious, but something that sets us apart from anywhere else.”

Q: What three words or phrases that come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: “Love, competitiveness, and hard work.”

Q: (Even for friends or family) , what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: “I can do a  back flip, I actually just learned how to.”

Q: If you had a full time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose? Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer, or Nanny?
A: “Physical fitness trainer.”

Q: What do you want to do when the pandemic is over?
A: “Hang out with some of my buddies, one last summer before going off to college.”

Q: What would you rank 10 out of 10?
A: “Sunny day, middle of summer, fishing on the pond.”

Q: If you were cast TV/movie show, what show would you choose?
A: “‘Top Gun’ would be cool.”