Until this past school year juniors Dallas and Drew Poulk had a pretty normal relationship for cousins. On most holidays they would get together with the family and spend the day together playing golf and hanging out, but with Drew transferring to N.C. State this past fall to play baseball the two cousins spend a lot more time together.
“Our dads are brothers, and we lived three hours apart so the only time we really met was Thanksgiving, where we would spend the day together playing golf and hanging out,” Drew said. “But our relationship has definitly grown now, especially since we are together every day.”
With both players now living in the same city and playing on the same team it’s a lot easier on the both families and especially their grandfather to go see them play. Their grandfather used to have to choose between his two grandsons’ games, deciding on whether to go to see Drew play at North Carolina or Dallas play at N.C. State during their freshman year.
“Our granddad used to have to travel back and forth, and he would have to pick which one he would go to. But know he doesn’t have to do that,” Dallas said. “It’s easier on him and easier on the family because they get to get together almost every weekend. But it’s definitely good for our granddad. He enjoys it and can’t get enough of it, [baseball].”
Drew, who is at his third school in three seasons, transferring from Carolina after his freshman year to St. Petersburg junior college his sophomore year to State this year, has had an immediate impact with the team not only in the field but in the locker room.
“He is a great player and a lot of fun in the club house, all the guys like him,” Dallas said. “He is just a lot of fun to be around.”
The transfer back into ACC baseball hasn’t been tough for Drew, since he played at Carolina his freshman year, but the intensity and structure of the games and the program as a whole have been the only things that he has really had to adjust to.
“Competition-wise it is definitely the same like it was at Carolina,” Drew said. “But at St. Petersburg things were a little more relaxed. You have a lot more range of skill level. But all around it is the same competition level — it is just a lot more structured than in junior college.”
Dallas, who was named third team preseason All-American this year, has had a very erratic year, batting in almost every spot in the lineup and switching positions mid-way through the season from second base, where he has played his entire N.C. State career, to shortstop.
“Dallas is a real energetic guy,” Drew said. “He is always trying to get people going. He always wants to succeed and he works as hard as he can. He is a great infielder and he has been up and down in the lineup this year but wherever he is, he seems to be comfortable.”
With the team struggling this year, both Dallas and Drew have been staples in the lineup for a team looking for answers. Both have played in at least 32 of the 35 games with Dallas playing second and shortstop and Drew in the outfield, mainly right field.
“It’s really tough, the mood kind of fluctuates in the locker room a little but our biggest goal to keep it on the positive side and each and every day go out and have a lot of fun in the game we play,” Dallas said. “It’s an uphill battle from here on out and we have something to prove. We will see if we can handle it.”
