Q&A with Pope's James Tibbs

Posted 11/26/2020

Meet James Tibbs, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound outfielder/first baseman from Pope who has signed to play at Florida State. Tibbs is a member of the Metro Big 10 cover for the 2021 Georgia Dugout Preview Magazine. Here are 10 questions with him.

Q: What in-game rituals or superstitions do you have?

A: Mainly it is what I eat during the day. For breakfast, I always eat an egg and bacon sandwich, for lunch I eat a PB&J and grapes. But pregame, I usually do my stretches in the exact same way and I go through a routine in the cages with different drills and I try to get a workout in before games as well which last 11-15 minutes.

Q: Who is your favorite professional sports team?

A: Atlanta Braves.

Q: What is your favorite food to eat?

A: Steak.

Q: Name one thing people may be surprised to learn about you? 

A: I love to read. Over quarantine, I read upwards of 10 books.

Q: Who is your favorite teacher and what is your favorite high school subject?

A: My favorite teacher has to be Mr. Prill, he was my AP World History teacher my sophomore year. Something about his class and the way he taught just made it enjoyable, despite how hard it was.

Q: Outside of baseball, what is your next hobby? 

A: To be honest working out, I workout a lot and am always figuring out ways to get workouts in which could be sprints, weight room work, or hitting or just baseball activities in general. 

Q: If you could travel anywhere outside the U.S., what would be your dream location and why?

A: I have always wanted to travel to the middle east specifically Jerusalem. I have always wanted to see the places Jesus walked and ministered.

Q: Name the person you'd like to meet the most.

A: The person I would love to meet is Mike Trout and I know that is a bland answer, but I really want to learn from him, specifically his mental preparation, his in-game thoughts and adjustments, and what he does to prepare for the season.

Q: Who has been the most influential person in your life?

A: Mainly my parents, they have really helped me grow into the person I am today, their love and support, as well as their leadership in their faith have been instrumental in my growth as a person in my faith and my character.

Q: After baseball, what career are you planning to pursue?

A: I’m hoping to pursue a degree in law. Advisement for professional sports teams has always been something I have wanted to do, as well as coaching. Helping people learn, get better, and accomplish goals is truly one of the most rewarding things in my opinion, so coaching is something I have always wanted to do.