Birth of daughter gives Boyer new perspective on and off the field

Father’s Day was a little bit different for Grizzlies’ starting pitcher Josh Boyer this year.

Instead of spending it like most of his teammates, or how he had in years past, Boyer spent Father’s Day 2010 with his newborn baby girl, Emery Bell.

“It was nice,” Boyer said. “I got a nice Father’s Day card. People were calling me at like 1 in the morning, sending me texts and congratulating me. It was awkward, but I got a good kick out of it."

Boyer and his girlfriend Krista Renneisen gave birth to Emery Bell on May 25, just days before he went on the mound to begin the summer season for the Grizzlies.

“She was there for daddy’s first game,” Boyer said. “I guess you could say I pitched that game and got the win for her.”

Ever since, Boyer has had one extra fan in the stands cheering her dad on.

“She’s been there for pretty much every ballgame and I know deep down she’s cheering for me,” he said. “She comes to my games wearing her Grizzly gear. She has a little Grizzly sock hat with my number on it.”

Boyer gets to spend most afternoons with his daughter before coming to the ballpark, but the biggest change for him has been the added responsibility.

“Doing things like getting up in the middle of the night and changing her diapers,” Boyer said. “Mom takes care of most of that, though. For me, I really need to find a job. I don’t know how it’s so hard, but not a lot of people want to hire for a month and a half during the summer. I’m trying my best.”

Despite the added responsibilities and time, though, Boyer will be back in school in the fall to finish his undergraduate degree at the University of Northern Colorado.

“I had to sit out this past year because I transferred from St. Cloud State in Minnesota,” he said. “It’ll be my last year of eligibility so I’ll definitely be back in Greeley and am looking forward to being on the field and finishing up my schooling.”

He will graduate with a degree in finance this coming May.

Boyer and Renneisen met two years ago when he was in Cheyenne playing his second season with the Grizzlies.

“We met at a Relay for Life event at East High School,” Boyer said. “We dated that summer and then I moved to Minnesota to go to school. In October she moved out there with me.”

When Boyer transferred to UNC, Renneisen came with.

Despite being born for just over a month, Emery Bell has changed her dad, both as a baseball player and as a person.

"I get frustrated less easily when I’m on the mound now,” Boyer said. “Knowing I get to go home and see her puts things in a different perspective.

“As for how she’s changed me as a person, being a dad gives you a different mentality. It’s definitely a life changing experience. Everyone seems to have a lot more respect for me. I get a lot of comments from guys where I feel like they respect me and kind of look up to me. It’s not something I expected to be doing at this age, but now that she’s here I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Boyer’s favorite memory with his daughter so far was his first, but expects many more to come.

“The birth was outrageous,” he said. “It was absolutely mind blowing just being in there and seeing that. She’s only a month old so there’ll be plenty of other great memories to come with her. I can’t wait.”