Three Broward Players Represent The Country On USA Baseball National Teams

It was an experience that will last them for a lifetime.

Three Broward County players spent part of their summer representing the United States as members of the USA Baseball national teams. The trio includes two players from Coral Springs Christian — Dominic DiCaprio and Dany “Touki” Toussaint — and American Heritage’s Zach Collins.

Collins, a catcher, played in eight games for the 16-and-under team that captured the gold medal by beating Cuba 9-0 in Lagos de Moreno, Mexico. He batted .500, scored 11 runs and belted three home runs, the most of any of the players. He also was named the tournament MVP.

Collins, who transferred from Flanagan this summer, went 3 for 4 with a home run, three runs and four RBI in the 16-1 win over Brazil on Aug. 23. Two days later, Collins hit another homer in a 13-4 win over the Netherlands. He had two hits and drove in two runs. The next day, Collins had another 2-for-4, two-RBI night in an 18-17, 10-inning win over Venezuela, one of the U.S. team’s two close games of the tournament. The other close game, which also went 10 innings, was the only game the U.S. team lost during the tournament, falling 8-6 to Japan. Collins again had a pair of hits.

Collins had a hit and scored twice in the 9-0 championship win over Cuba. (An interesting side note: USA manager Ernie Padron, who has coached at Florida Christian the past 14 years, was in a unique position in that game as Cuba is his home country.)

“Zach is just a character guy who works his tail off and tries to get better every day,” Heritage coach Bruce Aven said.

Aven said Collins’ consecutive home run performance was typical of what he’s capable of.

“When he gets hot, he gets hot,” Aven said. “We he gets one, he gets a couple.”

Toussaint, Collins’ teammate on the 16-and-under team, pitched in three games, going 0 for 3 with two runs. He threw six and a third innings overall, striking out four.

“Touki is only a sophomore, so he is actually a year younger than most of that 16U national team he was on,” Coral Springs Christian coach Matt Cleveland said. “He is an exceptional talent. He is most advanced on the mound, where he played for the national team. We are going to try and look to continue to develop him on the mound while not over throwing him. He will probably be our closer this year, as we have three proven seniors who will probably start on the mound.”

And although Toussaint may be at his best on the mound, Cleveland said he is looking forward to improve his skills elsewhere on the field.

“Where I am excited is to help him develop in the middle infield and with the bat,” Cleveland said. “He has so much natural ability, but just needs to add some more polish and experience. He really could be a five-tool player in the infield as well. He has been very coachable in the short time he has been here, and we have seen a lot of improvement, especially in the past couple of weeks.”

DiCaprio was a catcher for the 14-under team, which traveled to Venezuela for its tournament and also came home with the gold by routing the host team 12-2 in six innings. He played in three games, going 0 for 4. But the hitless performance doesn’t take away from the caliber of player Cleveland sees in DiCaprio.

“Dominic has been a part of our program since he was a fifth-grader in our school and coming out to our Jr. Crusader Camps,” Cleveland said. “He has always been a great athlete and a very talented baseball player. He was my starting JV catcher in seventh and eighth grades and actually played in some big games as an eighth grader on varsity.”

“He listens, works hard and has really gotten better each year,” Cleveland added. “He really started to excel baseball skill-wise last year, he has a great pop time (consistently right around 2.0) and he has some real good power at the plate. After my two senior catchers graduate this year, he will be holding that position down for me the next three years. He should be in the lineup every day this season, either in the outfield, or at third base. He is a hard-working kid who really wants to be the best, and it’s my job to help him reach that goal. He has a chance to be real special.”

Each of three players said the experience of representing the U.S. was significant and something they’ll remember all of their lives.

“It was an awesome feeling. It was crazy to be representing the U.S.,” said Collins, who along with Toussaint was picked for the team based on performance at the 16-and-under championships in June in Jupiter. “It was an honor to play for my country.”

Toussaint said the experience was “fun and challenging” with daily two-a-day practices even on game days. He, too, said he was honored to play for the U.S., adding “not a lot people get to do that.”

DiCaprio said “we got to experience a new culture and how they played [in Venezuela]. The fans were loud and electric.”

Playing on the national teams gave Collins, Toussaint and DiCaprio a rare experience to play with teammates that had about the same skill level.

“If I did something wrong, I had the best to pick me up,” DiCaprio said. “One through nine could hit.”

Toussaint said along with the advanced skill levels of the players came a determination and “no one would give up.”

Playing in Mexico was a reality check for Collins, who along with Toussaint got to see the less-fortunate conditions there.

“We played on the best fields in Mexico, and they still didn’t have the type of equipment we have,” Collins said. “They didn’t have the equipment to rake the dirt and make it flat. There were holes everywhere. They didn’t have the John Deers to make the fields all nice.”

The whole experience grounds you, Collins said, and reminds you that “not everyone gets this chance. It helps me with being respectful of everyone I know and not being cocky but acting humble.”

Cleveland said it’s a lesson he hopes DiCaprio and Toussaint take with them as well.

“It is important for Touki, Dom and all of our coaches and players to understand some things as we go into this spring season,” Cleveland said. “Neither of these kids has ever started a varsity game. ‘Experience is the hardest teacher, because it gives the test first, and the lesson afterwards.’ That quote is really important in a game like baseball. They are going to need to learn how to be a winner, how to help their team and how to be the best they can be, just like all other young baseball players.”

“Just because you are very talented (which both of these guys are) doesn’t mean you are going to be All-World or even All-County,” Cleveland added. “It doesn’t guarantee our team any victories in the spring. I don’t want them to be pressured to live up to everyone’s expectations. I just want them to be thankful for the gifts they were given, get better every day, and enjoy the ride. Then in three years, God willing, they both should have a great chance at reaching their goals. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to coach them, and look forward to seeing them develop as baseball players, students and young men.”

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