George Brown's baseball season is quickly approaching and hoping to be playing left field and batting for the Huskies this season is Sangau Ahmad.

He was born in a small town in Uganda, came to Canada in 2009 to study business at George Brown and, with two years of accounting under his belt, is now focusing on his second year in human resources management.

While baseball is relatively new to the 24-year old, he's quite the fielder and batter - in cricket - and has been on the Ugandan national squad and also played semi-pro in Brampton, Ont., with one of the best teams in North America.

"There are similarities in cricket and baseball and I thought it would be nice to play them both," said Ahmad, who is also expecting to make the Huskies cross country squad. "I think it can work out and it'll keep me busy."

Ahmad did play in one baseball game - but that was several years ago. A scheduling conflict with cricket playoffs and George Brown's baseball team, which played an exhibition schedule didn't work out.

As if cricket and baseball aren't enough, Ahmad is hoping to become a two-sport athlete at George Brown.

Resting a nasty ankle injury caused in a cricket accident last year, Ahmad didn't compete for the Huskies cross country team. But, now, he's eager to make the squad that runs in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association.

In baseball, the Huskies clinched the final playoff spot in last year's inaugural league season. Ahmad, if things go his way, wants to be in left field for the team's first game on Sept. 6, against Humber College, at Wishing Well Park in Scarborough, Ont.

"(Ahmad has) great out fielding skills and he was starting to really rip the ball in batting practice," said Geoff Gordon, George Brown's assistant baseball coach. "He could inspire others to try out."

As for distance running, George Brown will compete in the Fanshawe Invitational in London, Ont., on Sept. 20 followed, a week later, by the St. Lawrence Invitational in Kingston, Ont.

"My body can handle it - it's mental and physical," said Ahmad. "I get depressed not playing sport, and especially with my family far away, so I try take care of myself and stay in shape, run and keep focused. One of the things we did in Uganda, for the national team, was run 10 kilometres every day."

Source: George Brown College

Photo Credit: Thomas Chung