I'm proud to play baseball for Edinburgh and would urge locals to get involved in this great team sport

I went on holiday to America two years ago and started watching baseball and American football, I loved the atmosphere. So I got into both sports, watching games on the television.

I thought American football looked a cool game to play, but I’m 43, so it could be quite hard on my body. I used to play football a lot but now when I play I can’t walk the next day!

Edinburgh-born engineer Christian Smolnik, 43, plays baseball for the Edinburgh Rays. Now living in Livingston, he grew up in Stockbridge and Slateford. | National World

So I thought ‘what’s a sport I can get into’ and I realised that baseball wouldn’t be too strenuous but I would still enjoy the team ethic of it. I googled to see if there were any baseball teams in Edinburgh and obviously the Edinburgh Rays came up.

I kept an eye on their Facebook posts to start with and then last year I messaged them and went along to see what it was all about. But by that point I knew a fair bit about the game and was a fan of the sport.

It’s been an enjoyable learning curve since, I was a bit of a fish out of water the first few weeks, but I’m now in my second season. We’ve got a great camaraderie with a real social aspect, with barbecues at training if it is nice weather.

Christian Smalnik hitting a ball during an Edinburgh Rays training session at Morgan Playing Fields. | National World

It took a while to get used to catching the ball with my left hand as you have your catcher’s mitt on your left hand, and you have to learn to catch it correctly, not with your palm as you would naturally but with the back of the glove.

Most of the players in the Rays are students, mostly British, a couple of Europeans and some Americans and Canadians. We also have a fair contingent of Asians and other Scots. There are only two of us from Edinburgh, but we all get along so well, it’s great fun.

I love representing my city at this sport, I’m definitely proud to wear the Rays’ uniform. It’s always great to run out with ‘Edinburgh’ on my chest. I also wear my Edinburgh Rays’ cap to work.

The local Edinburgh Rays player heads to first base during a training session. | National World

We are in a cross-border league with Scottish and northern English teams so we do a bit of travelling, to places like Durham, Newcastle and Leeds. That adds to the social aspect as we car share or get a mini-bus for away games. It’s great fun, a mini road trip.

We train on Sundays at Morgan Playing Fields and Wednesdays at Holyrood Park and also play matches in the spring and summer. I really enjoy it all and I feel like I’ve learned so much about the sport since I joined the Rays.

I have been playing second short stop and outfield. As I’m still the newest to the sport in the team I’m a rookie and still working my way into it. It’s a good atmosphere in the team and it gets me out and about being part of a team. And it’s great for someone my age.

The Edinburgh Rays team, pictured at Morgan Playing Fields, in the shadows of Arthur's Seat. | National World

If you want to try something new and a bit different, while getting to meet lots of new people, then this is for you. It’s just about getting out there and keeping fit, without risking an injury like I would by playing five-a-side football.

I still go running and cycling, but I missed being involved with a team sport, I used to love playing football, but it got to the point where I was waking up the next morning aching all over.

The worst you can get in this sport is sore hands or a sore shoulder from throwing the ball. So I much prefer playing baseball from a physical point of view.

Christian loves the camaraderie and team spirit at the Edinburgh Rays. | National World

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It’s a niche sport here in Scotland and a bit different. However, it’s actually quite scary how many people have said to me that they love the game since I got into it. So I always tell them to come along to either play for or just watch the Rays. It’s mostly friends and family, and the occasional dog walker, that are at our games.

We often get American tourists come over to see what we’re doing playing baseball in the middle of Edinburgh, as they had no clue the game is played here. Most people seem shocked to see us playing baseball here, and sometimes have to double take.

But I think we’re a good side to watch and have had some former professionals play for us, including a Japanese guy who had played for the Dodgers. And we’ve also had some college baseball players here, so it’s a decent standard.