News

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. (June 10, 2018) – Marcus Begg, a senior from Webber International University, is more than just your average baseball player, 

While being the only married player in the Florida College Summer League, Begg has made it his mission to impact people’s lives to the best of his ability. 

Picked up at tryouts right before the baseball season in Winter Garden began, Begg is the epitome of the saying, God’s timing is always perfect.  

“I don’t like to think of things in terms of future plans and how my life is going to be years from now. Lately things have worked out without much planning, so I feel like if that is God’s plan for me, I trust it.” 

Begg has been on a unique journey that not the average baseball player can relate to. 

As he was recruited heavily while in high school, Begg made plans to attend BYU, but as the time came closer, another door opened for Begg. 

Marcus made the decision to take a break and step back from the game of baseball… something you don’t hear of often. Making the situation even more uncommon and exclusive, Begg went off to Arizona to serve a Mormon mission shortly after graduating high school. 

“Ever since I was little I knew that at some point I would want to go on a mission, I just decided that taking some time off from baseball and going right after high school was the best route to take.”

While the trip was more of a move, Begg regrets nothing. 

“We helped people who needed a sense of guidance, and felt they weren’t living life to the highest expectation and wanted to become closer to God.” Begg told me as we sat in the bleachers at Heller Brothers Ballpark. 

As Begg helped others learn and better themselves, he also learned a thing or two about himself, outside of the world he was so used to. 

“Baseball isn’t forever, but my relationship with Christ and the faith that I hold IS a forever type of thing.” 

Speaking of forever, Begg tied the knot last summer to his beautiful wife, which Begg said has been nothing short of great. “I always knew she was something special, and it turned into something big.” 

As we joked around and compared my love life to his, I realized something about Marcus; it occurred to me that he is one of the most selfless individuals I have ever met. This is a man who put his life on hold, taking a break from the sport he was obsessed with getting better at, and moving far away from the place he grew up in, to help better other people’s lives. We need more people like Marcus Begg in the world. 

With two more semesters left of college at Webber International, I asked Begg what he had in mind for the future. 

“To be honest, I’ll figure it out as time unfolds. The dream obviously is to continue further in my baseball career, but a lot of it will come down to what God has in mind for me, and my wife and I will make those adjustments when the time comes.” 

Samantha Milliren (Saint Leo University)