Welcome to JDRF Bay Area’s blog, One on 1, a series of interviews with people who live with T1D. Members of the community will talk about how T1D affects them, how they manage it and how they have conquered it. Today we talk with not one but two extraordinary men, Spenser Linney and Austin Barr. Both play for Stanford University Cardinal Baseball and they both live with T1D. Spenser is a left-handed pitcher and junior. Austin is a catcher/first baseman and a sophomore. Both are majoring in Science, Technology & Society. We caught up with the two friends to discuss baseball and T1D:

JDRF Bay Area: How old were each of you when you were diagnosed with T1D? What are your memories from that time?

Spenser: I was diagnosed with T1D at age 11 when I was in sixth grade. At the time I didn’t really know anything about diabetes and definitely had to adjust quickly to carb counting and insulin injections, but was fortunate to have great support from the Diabetes Education Team at Children’s Hospital Oakland, as well as tremendous support from both of my parents.

Austin: I was age 13, just a couple of years older. I also didn’t know anyone who was diabetic, or even what diabetes was. All I remember was not being sure if I would still be able to play baseball and go to school like a normal kid. Just like Spenser, support from my parents and the diabetes community helped me transition to living with T1D with a positive outlook on the situation.

JDRF Bay Area: How do you manage your T1D on the field?

Austin: I wear a Medtronic MiniMed insulin pump, which I began wearing at the age of 18. Having a pump allows me to eat varying amounts of food before and during games without having to concern myself with injections. My go-to foods for lows are apple juice and Skittles, followed by a protein bar. If my blood sugar is low, I’ll run up to the locker room for a 10-minute break to intake sugar, and then be back out on the field. Thankfully, I’ve never had a low during a real game, only at practice, which is why I check my blood sugar frequently during games to ensure that I don’t go low during critical situations.

Spenser: I usually try to maintain a glucose level of about 160-190 m/dL before and during games. In the event that my blood sugar drops during a game, this prevents me from suddenly having a low. I definitely check my blood sugar regularly, and also use my continuous glucose monitor to observe my blood sugar patterns throughout the game. I find that the biggest struggle for me personally is the effect that adrenaline has on my blood sugar. In a sport like baseball, there is a lot less continuous running and movement, so I often run higher during a game due to adrenaline, and then see a blood sugar dip afterwards.

JDRF Bay Area: Does it help to have a fellow player with T1D? Are your other teammates supportive?

Spenser: It definitely does help. I’ve stolen Skittles from Austin on several occasions when my blood sugar goes low, and it’s definitely an asset to have someone else who knows what a low blood sugar looks and feels like.

Austin: I agree. Spenser can empathize with me and it’s good to have someone to bounce ideas off regarding T1D management surrounding exercise and competition. The rest of the team is also supportive and understanding – I don’t think anyone else besides Spenser would consider stealing the Skittles out of my backpack.

JDRF Bay Area: You are both role models for young people living with T1D, volunteering your time to work with them, most recently at Camp One. Do you have a message for these kids? How about for their parents?

Austin: As I mentioned before, when I was diagnosed, I didn’t know if I would be able to lead the life of a regular kid growing up. The biggest message I try to give to young people with T1D and parents everywhere is that you absolutely can. T1D is just one more hurdle to overcome in getting where you want to go and being the athlete and person that you want to be. T1D is something that makes you different from everyone else to some degree, which might seem like a bad thing at first, but in the end it makes you more aware of the food you’re putting into your body and when managed properly, will not stop you from doing what you want to do.

Spenser: T1D is definitely something that has to monitored and taken care of constantly, and it definitely is an adjustment. However, it has certainly taught me a lot about dedication and responsibility. My parents have done a great job of supporting me since I was diagnosed – they have been extremely supportive in helping me develop a regimen of checking and correcting my blood sugar, ensuring that the people around me were aware and informed about T1D, and entrusted me with my own T1D care on school field trips so that I could have the same experiences my peers did.

JDRF Bay Area: What’s the best part about being a student-athlete at Stanford?

Austin: The people you meet. Stanford has so many people from so many different backgrounds, with so many different talents. I’ve already met several people in my short two years here that I think will be lifetime friends.

Spenser: That includes me, right?

Austin: (laughs) Absolutely. It’s great to play competitive baseball everyday with some of your closest friends.

Spenser: The people here definitely shape the experience. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be surrounded by great people who are enthusiastic about what it is they’re passionate about, and who are extremely talented at what they do. I am very thankful for the opportunity to attend and play baseball at Stanford.