Trey Wells was a starting pitcher for the Picayune Maroon Tide baseball team prior to the cancellation of spring sports, but he’s used this time to instead follow his dream of joining the Marines.

Wells grew up in a military household with is father serving as a diesel mechanic in the Navy.

Wells’ grandfather also served in the Navy and he said his father’s service influenced him to enlist.

“He’s raised me to be the man I am today and inspired me to do something like this,” Wells said.

This isn’t some rash decision for the senior pitcher, but has actually been a dream of his since he was child.

The plan to join the Marines formed in junior high and with the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down sports Wells thought there wasn’t going to be a better time.

“That’s what I’ve been wanting to do my whole life since I was a little boy. No college was going to look at anybody any further once this stuff happened,” Wells said.

Pitching this season had gone well for the prospective Marine who appeared in five games, while only having a 1.46 ERA and 11 strikeouts.

Wells said if a college program had offered him a scholarship he may have taken it, but his goal has always been to serve in the armed forces.

On Monday Wells drove to Gulfport and started the enlistment process.

Paperwork took up a lot of time before the recruiters and Wells sat down to discuss his future.

On April 22 and 23 Wells traveled to New Orleans for METS, which would include taking the ASVAB and undergo a physical.

Then he’d sit down with recruiters, pick a job in the Marines he preferred and be given his ship out date for boot camp.

Wells said he was told the ship out date would occur between August and October because of the pandemic.

At that point Wells will head to Parris Island and begin his training to become a United States Marine.

Wells said finally getting to enlist was a dream come true to carry on the tradition of military service in his family.

“It was more like a dream coming to reality. It’s something I wanted to do my whole life. Now I’m coming into my own and it’s something I can really do,” Wells said.

Wells said he’ll never forget his time as a member of the Picayune Maroon Tide family, even as he prepares to leave Mississippi for the Marines.

“I miss my coaches, I love all of them and they were all huge role models in my life. I miss all my friends at high school and I never knew how much I loved school until it was taken away,” Wells said.