Westminster Academy Looks To Announce Arrival In 2014

The Westminster Academy baseball program has a proud history and tradition of success. The student-athletes on this team understand that the standards are always at their highest, and that it is a supportive community that is always ready for that next title run. Even though times have changed some from their heyday, it is a bright future at Westminster Academy.

The program has had stability in recent years, and it is starting to grow and develop form within again. Nick James enters his fourth season as the manager of the club, and he is very pleased with the direction of his program.

The school focus over recent years has been less on athletics, which had thinned the overall number of players on any given team in any sport. Academics have been a major priority, and the school has been successful in that regard. The achievements in the classroom of Coach James’ players is pleasing enough for any adult in charge of leading young men, but the fact that these kids give him so much effort on the baseball field on top of their coursework is very rewarding.

It takes time to build a team into a contender, and the last few seasons have reflected that growth period. That time has served to bring the club together, and this year’s squad is more battle-tested and capable of competing in the big district games. This squad has the right mix of older veteran upperclassmen and younger, energetic newcomers. Things are falling into place for the club and Coach James is pleased with the progression.

“We’ve got fantastic kids and we’re trying to produce a better well-rounded student-athlete,” said James. “They give me great effort, great energy and great enthusiasm. They compete and they have a good decorum in the classroom and in the community. We’ve got kids who buy into things pretty easily and it’s exciting. It makes my job easier.”

This year marks another reason for Coach James to be excited, as they have their first true junior varsity team. They had always flip-flopped several players who played both jv and varsity baseball during the season in order to carry enough players for both teams. Now the school has enough numbers to field both teams, and the players are able to settle into their roles easier.

“Our program has really grown these last three years and it’s exciting to have a full-fledged jv team,” said James. “I’m much more a believer of building from the bottom up. It’s one of the first things we started when I first got here four years ago was to work with our sixth-graders. Now three or four of them are in the program as tenth-graders, and they are some of the best players that we have. So we focus on building it from the foundation. Our younger programs are a huge priority for us because we feel those are the guys we will rely on to gel together over these next few years.”

In the meantime the team is thrilled about what they bring to the table in 2014.

After graduating only three seniors, the team brings back its most integral piece in its starting ace Weston Clemente. The senior left-hander had a strong junior year, recording 59 strikeouts in 47 innings on the dish. He made 11 starts in all last year, taking on the top opposition on the schedule. Despite a career ERA of 2.71 in his high school career, he looks to build off a record of just 3-9 over that span. In his final year with the team he has the chance to outpace that number with ease.

Clemente is also a crucial part of the offense, playing first base on days he does not pitch while becoming a fixture in the middle of the batting order. He hit .343 with 25 RBIs, three doubles, two triples and three home runs last year, and is capable of vastly eclipsing those figures this season. Not only has he improved as a player, but so too has the lineup around him grown stronger.

Clemente is one of five seniors on the squad, and each provides an integral piece to the team equation. Jeremy and Josh Viveros are speedy athletes who have the natural ability to do just about anything, and often they are asked to do just that. Andrew Gross is also a versatile ballplayer, manning any outfield position while also providing valuable innings on the mound. Then Sam Etter fills the ever-important role as the team’s backstop.

“We have five seniors who are going to try to carry the team and let the young guys follow and have just nice relaxed play. We just want to play hard,” said Etter, who is entering his third season as a starter for this squad. “Hopefully the younger guys catch on to our example and hustle every play. We are a really tightly-bonded team and we’re going to be pretty good this year.”

With just three juniors and the rest of the group in grades below that level, the good example set by the team captains will go a long way to their success. The seniors have relished their chance to be the leaders, and the guys are quick to follow their lead. They realize that there is great potential to build a contender here quickly, and that there is also the chance as individuals to someday go on to play college baseball just as Etter will next year at Abilene Christian University.

“When I came here my sophomore year I was shocked because the game was so fast,” said Etter. “I’ve been slowing the game down and making it my speed ever since. It makes it a lot easier to play, and then you can control the game. Now I just want to have a great season.”

It is this selfless type of mentality that has created such a positive and unified team aura. There is perhaps no player on the team who exhibits that better than Andrew Gross, who Coach James refers to as a great example of a team player. The senior batted .306 last season, with on base percentage of .453, and seven stolen bases to go with 10 runs scored. He played all over the field and tossed six scoreless innings on the mound. In his final year playing baseball, Gross figures to contribute everywhere, in any way possible.

The group of sophomores who represent those sixth-graders from back in Coach James’ first season are also some of the brightest parts. Thomas Messer batted over .300 a year ago in limited action, and Tommy Dorfman had a strong showing on the mound despite pitching just 18 total innings over nine appearances. Backup catcher Zach Warenius has shown the strongest improvement, and he is not intimidated by the level of play. Warenius is coming off a strong summer and fall season, and he embodies the type of hard-working, blue-collar player every coach wants on their roster.

Now that the team is in a new district in Class 3A, there is an opportunity to catch their opposition off guard as they find out what it’s like to play the Lions. In their new district, only Coral Springs Christian and Highlands Christian have seen much of Westminster, as the other squads are Palm Beach schools at Jupiter Christian, Lake Worth Christian, Oxbridge Academy and Trinity Christian. New rivalries will be forged, and opponents will find a hungry and energetic foe in Westminster Academy.

“We feel like if we do the fundamental things right, it’s a simple game,” said James. “If you let it be a simple game. If we throw strikes, move runners along and get some timely hitting, we’re going to have a chance to be in most ball games. If our guys buy into that and understand that everybody has a role, I think we can be pretty successful.”

Leave a comment using your facebook account!