American Prep Making Strides In 2014

Building a new baseball program takes time and patience. For such a small school as American Prep Academy, this evolution has been a gradual process over the past several years. Like many schools comprised of such a small number of students, it is challenge enough just to assemble enough players to field a full squad. It is not always easy for high school students to understand that Rome was not built overnight.

Heading into the 2014 season, the Knights look to turn the corner in working to put their program on the map. The team is slated to compete in a district for the first time in the short history of their program, although the administration may still ultimately decide to continue to compete as an independent program this year. Regardless of the decision, the fact remains that the baseball program is starting to take hold and increase its numbers within the student body population of roughly 150 kids.

American Prep Academy was founded in 2007 to serve the unique needs of students with ADHD, ADD, Dyslexia, Down Syndrome and Autism to strengthen equality principles regardless of any distinction. This fully-accredited institute emphasizes special needs programs, and it provides leadership and the tools needed to help empower students in reaching their fullest potential.

The school’s athletics are promoted to help build character and have fun. As with any school, athletics help build team spirit and school identity. Baseball is one of six sports offered at the school, and it is another way that the kids enjoy a normal and positive high school experience. For Manager Giovanni Garcia, the baseball program is also a chance for players to harness their playing skills and showcase those talents for colleges.

Entering his second season at the helm, Coach Garcia wants his guys to know what they are playing for. More than anything else he wants to groom them for college, whether they go there to play baseball or not. The skipper demands respect from his players, and while he reminds them that they are there to work he also encourages them to have fun too.

“I give them the initiative to play hard and do the best you can. Hopefully you get something great out of it,” said Garcia. “The kids are very excited, and I’m a little harder on them because I want them to pick it up and be responsible for it now. We’re at the point that we need to pick it up and always play the game right.”

The strength of the club is its pitching staff. The quality of the front line arms has helped them develop this as their bread and butter. This group includes a glut of juniors in Jordan Lohmyer, Felix Quintana and Matt Chavez. Lohmyer is the outspoken leader of the squad, and he is someone who gets the players motivated. Quintana is a guy that Garcia hears all the time, mentoring his young teammates and being a leader. Chavez is an intense player who focuses easily and becomes locked in on the mound.

“I like being the guy out there getting the outs,” said Chavez, who is one of the veterans on the club as he prepares for his third varsity season this year. “I love the game and I want to be the best. It’s a school where we are small but we’re ready for a good season.”

With plenty of time still left before the roster has to shape into place for the 2014 season, the program is enjoying the chances they have in the fall to play together for a baseball club so they can mesh together. This has helped solidify roles for some vital positions, as Eric Kiss is settling in behind the plate, Anthony Valdes is looking good at shortstop and Raji Shareef is locking up the centerfield role.

Shareef is a home-schooled student-athlete who has dual-enrollment that allows him to play for his local team. The junior is a mature and self-aware young man who has begun to embrace baseball as more than just a hobby and a way to stay physically active. Shareef is a deep person, and he appreciate the way baseball is such a thinking mans game. Although his influence makes him a leader, he doesn’t necessarily see himself that way.

“I consider myself an example,” said Shareef. “It’s not up to me whether or not the other guys follow me; but I feel I always have to be at my best so people can say that’s the way you should act. That’s the guy that you look to.”

To help the team Shareef has also taken on the challenge of learning how to play second base. The team has more depth in the outfield and he has shown an aptitude to rise to any challenge presented to him. This example is also helping his teammates gain more confidence to try different roles to further harness their abilities.

“The more skills you have, just in general in life, the more valuable you are,” Shareef said. “If you have a collection of people with a vast number of skills, they are going to be greater than other collections of players.”

During the fall the club has enjoyed the chance to team with other local ballplayers that are not competing with their own teams. This has benefited the pitching staff most of all, where the guys have been able to practice and learn from right-handers Jake Dymek and Cameron Kearns. These guys have really stood out as leaders, helping to groom their teammates to understand what it takes to play high school baseball.

“It makes me happy and gives me a sense of responsibility to be one of the guys who has to lead the team,” said Kearns. “It’s natural for me to be a leader on the baseball field. I have been playing the game since I was four years old and I absolutely love playing baseball. We’re a playful team, but we know how to get serious when it’s game time.”

The thing that shows from all of the players is that they are so determined to play the game. They cherish the opportunity to shine here and the coaches encourage them to show everything that they’ve got.

In the six years since American Prep first opened its doors, the baseball program has grown and changed much like many other aspects of the school. With such a small student body overall, it has taken time to build the foundation and lay the tracks out for greater success farther down the road. With this base now begins to solidify itself, the team now realizes the time is coming where they can start to build a contender.

The primary focus will always remain the same, and that is for the players to play in such a way that they enjoy what they are doing. Coach Garcia reminds his guys all the time that it is a special time they are enjoying right now, and that they need to always soak it in and enjoy things in their moments.

“Your four years of high school baseball are the four years of your life you will always remember,” said Garcia. “I played baseball in my high school years and I loved it. I still keep in touch with those 18 guys and I even still play the game at 41 years old. You have to do this for the enjoyment. Make the best out of it and have all the fun you can have. They don’t realize yet what they do today is something that they will always remember and cherish when they get older.”

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