Training Traditions Give Baseball Team Advantage

Transcription

1 Training Traditions Give Baseball Team Advantage Baseball team members take their pre-game stretches at The Summit Athletic Complex. 34 Spring

2 By Mike Dyer Summit junior Mark Peterson understands how significant it is to play baseball on the main field of the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando. It s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity really, he says. As a parent, Molly Compton loves watching her son, senior pitcher/center fielder Doug Compton, on a field where the Atlanta Braves work out during spring training. To watch the team in a different setting against different state teams is really special, she says. Summit baseball coach Triffon Callos and his players would have spring break no other way each year. By playing four games at the Orlandoarea complex every year since 2006, the Silver Knights have found a second home of sorts before their remaining 27-game regular season schedule. That s just an absolutely phenomenal trip for the players, says Coach Callos, who is in his seventh year as Summit head baseball coach and his 10th overall with the program. Very few high schools are able to do that. Head Coach Triffon Callos, in his seventh year as Summit Head Baseball Coach, has an advantage during pre-season training on Summit s field because of the high-performance artificial turf on the infield. Fewer rain-outs due to poor field conditions means more practice time. In fact, The Summit is unique in that this spring break baseball trip builds a special camaraderie among teammates from freshmen experiencing the trip for the first time to the seniors. We are really lucky to do this with all the help from the parents and coaches to organize it, Mark says. Typical opponents during that week range from powerhouse teams from New York, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia or Texas. Three of the four opponents are typically against large-size schools or what would be classified as Division I level in Ohio. Summit is a smaller Division III program. This spring, the team faced New York s Spencerport and Gates Chili high schools; Wisconsin s Lacrosse Central and Waterford Union. Coach Callos, who will be 32 in April, was the Cincinnati area s youngest head baseball coach at age 24 when he took over the program. His impact on the program speaks for itself. With five graduates playing baseball in college, the Silver Knight leader, who has a coaching record, is proud of the players and coaches. With 38 of the 62 losses coming against Division I or II teams, it is no wonder why Summit is regarded as one of the top programs in the state. Junior Mark Peterson winds up to throw strikes at Summit s home field. 35 Summit Magazine

3 Mark Peterson, shown here during spring training at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, values the experience of the annual pre-season training in Florida. 36 In fact, Coach Callos was one of five finalists for the MSA Sports 2013 Greater Cincinnati High School Baseball Coach of the Year and was presented Aug. 3 before a game at Great American Ball Park. Coach Callos does not shy away from having The Summit compete against the best each spring whether in the Sunshine State or the Buckeye State. All Summit players travel to the Orlando area. There are two varsity games at the main stadium and two games on one of the 12 side fields. The junior varsity is also able to play two games. Coach always tries to play the biggest schools, says Mark Perterson, whose brother Mike Peterson 07 also greatly enjoyed the trip during his time as a student at The Summit. Mark, a third baseman and utility player, said the Orlando trip came in handy during the critical times Spring of the 2013 postseason. He remembers the Silver Knights were in a tight ballgame and needed to get a run across the plate against an opponent during spring break. A similar situation occurred several weeks later against Madeira when Summit rallied to score runs and defeated the Mustangs 5-4 in the district semifinal May 23. In 2013, The Summit finished overall; the Silver Knights won nine consecutive games leading up to the postseason. Summit was a Division III regional semifinalist in Coach Callos, who earned his 100th victory as Summit head coach last season, says that peaking at the right moment heading into the postseason is the obvious point. The Florida trip not only helps with skill building early in the season, but establishes a unique bond among the players, coaching staff and families. The parents definitely support this trip, and it really is

4 unique that Summit can do this for the boys, Molly Compton said. I can t say enough about Triffon and the other coaches. Their dedication to the program and especially to the boys is unbelievable. The team leaves the Cincinnati area Monday morning (this year that was on April 14) and players and families meet up in Orlando that afternoon. Coach Callos likes to mix the freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors together for lodging during the week as part of team bonding. (The players) are able to get together and I think that makes a big difference, says Donny Nagel, an assistant coach from The week is also an opportunity for players-only meetings and allowing captains to exhibit their leadership roles. Doug Compton was able to truly learn about his teammates starting with his freshman year. The juniors and seniors on the team immediately took Doug under their wings and treated him like a little brother, says his mom. He truly made friends that he will have for the rest of his life. Monday and Tuesday in Orlando are game days and sometimes those are under the lights. On Wednesday, the players receive a day off, and many take advantage of an amusement park pass. The kids get to bond and enjoy it, Coach Callos says. That is neat to see as a coach... I want a day for the kids to spend together. They ve got to have fun. They will look back at this for the memories. There are also team meals with families and players which is part of The Summit baseball tradition. This is really nice, Molly Compton says. It s a chance for families (especially new families) to get to know each other before the baseball season at home is in full gear. The team plays Thursday. Friday is a travel day as the families travel back to Cincinnati with a lifetime of memories. It s something as long as I am at Summit I will make a reality, Coach Callos said. People plan on it. It is a selling point (for the program). Craig James prepares to run the bases at the same Disney complex where the Atlanta Braves work out during spring training. Mike Dyer covers high school sports for The Cincinnati Enquirer. 37 Summit Magazine 37

5 Catcher Eric Terry anticipates the pitch in a pre-season game. Summit breaks from a pre-game huddle before taking the field to start a game Spring

6 Eric Terry has the attention of teammates Brooks Taylor and Brennan Byrne. Senior pitcher Doug Compton concentrates on his target. 39 Summit Magazine 39