By Jason Klaiber<\/p>\n
Managing Editor for Promotions<\/p>\n
Hard work and unshakable dedication. These are two things that Jamesville-DeWitt High School senior Chris McGee exhibits in his everyday life.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy parents bought me a bat and basically it all just clicked,\u201d says McGee, referring to the start of his baseball career. Ever since he began at the Little League level when he was 5, McGee has built up a passion for the game of baseball and has reached prominence in the baseball community. A star member of the J-DHS Varsity Baseball team, his skills have attracted attention from fans, competitors and college scouts alike. As a result, a bright opportunity has opened its doors to McGee. Binghamton University, located in Vestal, New York, found great promise in McGee\u2019s future and offered him an athletic scholarship to play Division-I baseball.<\/p>\n
SUNY Binghamton has been in the recruiting process with McGee since he visited a camp there in June 2012. At the Binghamton baseball camp, McGee was a standout performer. He believes that he played exceptionally well at the camp and seemed to be a cut above the rest in the talent department. Binghamton contacted McGee soon afterward and expressed that they wanted him \u201cto stay on their radar.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ever since, he has done just that. McGee made his unofficial visit in August of this year. \u201cI fell in love with the coaches, the campus, the team, the facilities, and the education I\u2019m going to receive there,\u201d says McGee; \u201cAll in all, that\u2019s what drew me to Binghamton and that\u2019s why I committed there.\u201d He admits that the university \u201cfelt like home.\u201d The scholarship opportunity was also a significant factor in the decision. \u201cMy dad paid so much money in the summer for me to play and I knew it was all to get a scholarship to play at the next level,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
McGee plays on the Syracuse Sportszone Academy Braves Red during the summertime. This travel team brings in top-notch players from all over Central New York to participate in out-of-state tournaments. McGee and his travel team have ventured out to places such as New Jersey, Long Island, Pennsylvania and Georgia. McGee sees the travel team as a good experience because he competes against high-caliber teams and has fun with his teammates. He adds that traveling around to different cities and states helps in meeting new people and allows him to play against athletes that he\u2019ll potentially see at the college level. \u201cIn the summer, there’s better competition and the better you play in the summer, the greater chance you have in getting recruited,\u201d says McGee.<\/p>\n
McGee claims that the scholarship will certainly make the tuition more affordable for his family. \u201cThe scholarship I received is really rewarding and it shows that I worked really hard and it helps me and my family,\u201d says McGee. He is being presented with a quarter-scholarship which will increase as he continues through his time at Binghamton. McGee hopes to eventually be awarded a half-scholarship. He is receiving a starting value of $8,000 in athletic money.<\/p>\n
McGee says that his family is looking forward to his first year at Binghamton, and that they were pleased with the campus, the coaches, and the overall impression the university made. McGee added that his parents like the fact that the university is only an hour away, which allows them to travel to every home game without much of a hassle. Also, most of the competition is located close by with the exception of Auburn University in Alabama, which is scheduled in the spring of 2015 as McGee\u2019s debut game in a Binghamton Bearcat uniform.<\/p>\n
Binghamton University is respected as an academic institution as well, a reputation that further attracted McGee. \u201cI haven\u2019t figured out what I want to study yet,\u201d he says, \u201cbut I might go into communications or possibly education and become a teacher or guidance counselor.\u201d No matter what he decides, he wants to enter a career path in which he can help children.<\/p>\n
McGee\u2019s coaches and teammates have also noted McGee\u2019s commitment to Binghamton. Ryan Dera, the head coach of the J-DHS Varsity Baseball team and a former Division-I baseball player at Elon University in North Carolina, says, \u201c(the scholarship) is a great opportunity for Chris and I\u2019m extremely excited for him.\u201d Coach Dera considers receiving a scholarship in baseball one of the toughest scholarships to achieve in collegiate athletics. \u201cEach Division-I baseball team is allowed only 11.7 scholarships per team,\u201d he says; \u201cA team is comprised of 35 players so only the true top prospects receive a scholarship.\u201d He labels McGee as a \u201ctrue Division-I prospect.\u201d Assistant coach Mike Klemperer, who played Division-III baseball at the University of Rochester, says that the scholarship is \u201cvery exciting\u201d for McGee as well as the entire J-D baseball program. \u201cIt takes an incredible amount of talent, commitment, and work ethic to be a Division-I athlete, and Chris has all of those things,\u201d he says. \u201cWe\u2019re all very proud of him and have seen him grow as a player over the last two years on varsity.\u201d Coach Klemperer says that since lacrosse has become such a \u201chotbed\u201d in the northeast, baseball can be overlooked in comparison. Nonetheless, such college-level prospects as McGee have lifted the reputation of the local baseball program. \u201cThere have been a lot of great players to come out of our area lately,\u201d Coach Klemperer notes, \u201cand the better these kids do at the next level, the more respect our baseball program gains.\u201d<\/p>\n
Junior right fielder\/second baseman Xander Ferlenda also believes that McGee\u2019s success is good for the J-D baseball program and the community as a whole. He also says that McGee worked hard to reach success and deserves what Binghamton offered him. \u201cAll his hard work paid off and he deserves (his success),\u201d says senior John Werbowsky, the team\u2019s first baseman. Additionally, senior outfielder Chris Wood points to McGee\u2019s Binghamton scholarship as evidence of \u201cwhat a great player he is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having played Division-I and Division-III, respectively, Coach Dera and Coach Klemperer both experienced the world of college baseball firsthand. \u201cThe transition from high school to college is huge,\u201d says Coach Dera, \u201cespecially at the Division-I level.\u201d He says that in contrast to approximately 70-mph pitches typically seen in high school baseball, the average Division-I college pitcher will throw in the high 80s. \u201cThat is a big adjustment but I have all the confidence in the world that Chris will be able to adjust and be a successful collegiate player,\u201d says Coach Dera; \u201cThrough our practices and our style of baseball here at J-D, I feel that we have prepared him for the next level.\u201d Since Coach Dera is formerly a professional scout with the Kansas City Royals, he says that he has been able to inform McGee of what scouts and college coaches are looking for on and off the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest similarity is that Chris will be playing the same game in college as he played in Little League as a kid,\u201d says Coach Klemperer; \u201cBaseball is still baseball no matter what level.\u201d He said that in both high school and college baseball, a player always needs to be prepared to be challenged mentally at every moment. Coach Klemperer says, however, that \u201cthe speed of the game will be a lot faster\u201d and the competition for playing time will be \u201cvery intense\u201d due to the fact that everyone on the Binghamton team will have been a star on their high school team. He also notes that the time commitment is far greater than what is seen in high school, with players shuffling between fall ball, regimented workouts, traveling, meals, and a wide variety of other things. \u201cIf you don\u2019t truly love the game, it\u2019s hard to put in that much time,\u201d says Coach Klemperer, \u201cbut from what I\u2019ve seen from Chris, he loves playing baseball and will do well at the next level.\u201d Coach Klemperer recalls his own connection with college baseball and says that it opened doors for him and exposed him to different kinds of experiences and relationships than he would have had otherwise. \u201cThere is something special about being a part of a team,\u201d says Coach Klemperer, \u201cespecially when everyone around you loves playing the sport. You form a special bond with the people you spend so much time with at games, practices and on the road.\u201d<\/p>\n
McGee\u2019s younger brother, Dylan, a sophomore and catcher on the team, witnessed Chris grow up around the game of baseball, from playing in the backyard to being involved in Little League, modified baseball, travel ball, year-round practices, the junior varsity team and eventually the varsity baseball team that they both currently play for. Dylan claims that all the work that Chris has put in \u201cmade him the player he is now.\u201d \u201cI think Chris has worked hard at achieving his goals and it\u2019s finally paying off,\u201d Dylan says; \u201cHe\u2019s really getting recognized for his talents. I think (Binghamton) was the right choice for him and he\u2019ll do great things there.\u201d Even though he expects Chris will need time to adjust to playing at the Division-I college level, Dylan is sure that Chris will adapt quickly with the team and make use of his time at Binghamton.<\/p>\n
Needless to say, baseball has become a central part of Chris McGee\u2019s life. \u201cI\u2019m even focused on baseball for most of my off-season, along with school work, of course,\u201d says McGee. His work ethic is demonstrated by his dedication to baseball. During the current off-season, McGee has consistently practiced hitting left-handed in order to become a switch hitter by the time next season rolls around. Besides excelling in hitting, McGee has been a starting shortstop and pitcher. However, his upcoming senior season will see him playing at center field, the position he\u2019ll also be playing at Binghamton.<\/p>\n
The game has taught McGee certain values. He has learned throughout the years that \u201cteamwork is key.\u201d He has also built up life skills such as proper communication and leadership. \u201cI\u2019d call myself a leader,\u201d says McGee; \u201cI feel like I\u2019m loud on the field and I get everyone in the right mindset to play. I like to support the team when we\u2019re down.\u201d<\/p>\n
McGee\u2019s leadership has constructed a solid connection with his teammates as well. \u201cI have good relationships with all of them,\u201d he says; \u201cThey\u2019re awesome and they\u2019re my teammates, so I take pride in that.\u201d Ferlenda says \u201che\u2019s pretty much now a captain since our seniors graduated last year.\u201d He added that he\u2019s a \u201cleader figure\u201d on the team. Senior infielder Tom Canfield says that McGee is a \u201cquiet but good\u201d leader for the team. \u201cHe leads by example, he doesn\u2019t get in trouble, he works hard, and he accepts his losses but wins gracefully,\u201d says Canfield. Wood says that McGee expects his team to put in full effort in order to get the job done, but he remains \u201cencouraging.\u201d Wood praises McGee\u2019s leadership skills, saying he leads by example. Coach Klemperer agrees with Wood and says that McGee has led by example on the baseball field throughout the past two seasons. He expects McGee to also be more of a vocal presence in the dugout this season considering he\u2019ll be a senior and thus will be seen as a team leader. \u201cChris is a true leader and competitor,\u201d says Coach Dera; \u201cHe\u2019s the type of player that wants the ball at the end of the game in a crucial situation. He is absolutely fearless and has confidence in his abilities.\u201d<\/p>\n
McGee\u2019s teammates and coaches see his athletic abilities and work ethic as central factors in shaping the team\u2019s success as well as his own. \u201cSince the third grade, he\u2019s been one of the best players at J-D in the baseball program,\u201d says Wood; \u201cFor the past few years, he\u2019s really evolved into a great player and an all-around athlete.\u201d He also remarks that McGee has the ability to play any position on the baseball field and can do \u201cwhatever you want him to do,\u201d ranging from pitching and fielding to hitting. \u201cWhen it comes down to it,\u201d says Wood, \u201che can work really hard and get stuff done for the team.\u201d Werbowsky says that McGee is \u201cthe most consistent hitter\u201d the team has, and he acts as a power hitter as well. Senior Sam Crisalli, who plays third base and pitches, says that McGee worked hard and has become the best player on the team. \u201cWithout him, we wouldn\u2019t win a lot,\u201d says Crisalli; \u201cHe\u2019s a key role on our team.\u201d Senior Alex Way, an outfielder and also McGee\u2019s cousin, says that he \u201cplays every game like it\u2019s his last.\u201d Canfield calls McGee a \u201csuperstar\u201d and commends him for his work ethic in baseball. “He\u2019s really strong, he\u2019s really fast and he can adjust to (the college) environment,” says Canfield. \u201cSpeed is a huge part of the college game,\u201d says Coach Klemperer, \u201cand Chris is one of the fastest players in the area.\u201d He says that McGee can play multiple positions defensively at a high level, which would make him an asset to his future team at Binghamton. Coach Klemperer also says that \u201cChris puts a great deal of time into the sport,\u201d taking into account McGee\u2019s varsity season, offseason workouts, lessons, and summer ball. \u201cHe has some natural gifts that he is very blessed to have,\u201d says Coach Klemperer, \u201cbut he has realized over the last year or two that it takes more than just natural ability to play at the next level. He has worked hard to get stronger and faster, and realizes that he always has something to work on to make him a better all-around player.\u201d Coach Dera said that McGee is a \u201cvery hard worker\u201d and has become an \u201celite baseball player\u201d through his work ethic and his desire to get better. According to Coach Dera, McGee was able to run a 60-yard sprint in 6.57 seconds which compares to the speed of Major League baseball players. \u201cTo put his (speed) in perspective,\u201d says Coach Dera, \u201cJameis Winston, the starting quarterback for Florida State, ran a 6.59-second 60-yard in high school.\u201d Coach Dera states that McGee\u2019s strongest attribute is his speed. He says that McGee\u2019s speed and tremendous amount of range will serve him well in the outfield, while offensively he is able to hit with power.<\/p>\n
McGee\u2019s presence on the team has been exemplified by noteworthy contributions. \u201cChris is a great player that performs consistently on a very high level,\u201d says Coach Dera. Last season showed McGee batting .350 and striking out only six times in 80 plate appearances. He also hit five home runs, which was the most on the team. On the pitching mound, he had a 1.27 earned-run average, 42 strikeouts, and nine bases on balls. McGee also hit a walk-off grand slam at the bottom of the seventh inning in the season opener against Vernon-Verona-Sherrill. \u201cHis grand slam started off our season right,\u201d says Werbowsky; \u201cThat set the tone for the season. It shows how him being a leader brings us success.\u201d Coach Klemperer says that McGee tends to be \u201ceven-tempered\u201d when he\u2019s out on the field but builds excitement for his team also. \u201cDuring the times when he gets fired up, pounds his glove, and turns into more of a vocal leader,\u201d says Coach Klemperer, \u201cthe team really feeds off of that passion since it\u2019s a little bit out of character for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before McGee moves forward to collegiate level-baseball, he still has his senior season ahead of him. McGee has high expectations for the spring season and so does his team. He believes that the varsity team will be strong this year. He expects his team to make sectionals, be ranked as one of the top 10 teams in the state, earn a state title and perform better than last year overall. \u201cOur team has a good chance to make a run at a sectional title this year,\u201d says Coach Klemperer, \u201cand Chris will be a big part of that.\u201d The best competition the team expects to face is from New Hartford and CBA, says McGee. Meanwhile, his personal goals include making the All-CNY team as well as leading his team to sectional and state titles in his final high school season. He jokingly added that being appointed as \u201cPlayer of the Year\u201d would be nice as well.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Jason Klaiber Managing Editor for Promotions Hard work and unshakable dedication. These are two things that Jamesville-DeWitt High School senior Chris McGee exhibits in his everyday life. \u201cMy parents bought me a bat and basically it all just clicked,\u201d says McGee, referring to the start of his baseball career. Ever since he began at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/486"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=486"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/486\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=486"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=486"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=486"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}