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A missed opportunity worse than defeat
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Anonymous user Tue Jun 19, 2007 08:41:46 PDT
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0 responses 0 comments As a community, Bakersfield is proud of its local high school athletes, whose tremendous talent lands them with a hefty scholarship and admission to our nation’s top universities.

But what happens to the average players who wait in the superstars’ shadows?

The Central Valley is filled with top-notch collegiate prospects: great athletes with good GPAs. However, as scouts make their way to the densely-populated urban areas, such as Los Angeles or San Francisco, Bakersfield's probably isn't fairly assessed. 

Baseball Advanced Training & Recruitment Services (BATRS), a successful baseball training program started in Los Angeles, has recently come to Bakersfield to help baseball players hone and strengthen skills for competitive play, and also finding and capitalizing on the hundreds of baseball programs currently looking for players to sign.

“It's time to put Bakersfield on the map,” said BATRS founder, Denny Barrett. “Our kids have too much potential to succeed - chances are there is a scholarship that fits each athlete’s needs and playing ability. We want to help them find that match.” 

BATRS knows what college coaches are looking for, as Barrett has spent the last 20 years coaching and recruiting for leading Division I, II, & III teams in the NCAA and NAIA conferences. He's won a World Series Championship and three National Championships. BATRS alumni that maintain a working relationship with Barrett include: 2006 National League's Batting Champion, Freddy Sanchez of the Pittsburgh Pirates; Jack Wilson of the Pittsburgh Pirates; Jason Botts of the Texas Rangers; Doug Slaten of the Arizona Diamondbacks; and now Bakersfield's own Sean Barker, who was most recently called up to play for the Rockies.

“It doesn't matter how good you are to get yourself recruited and be considered for a baseball scholarship. College coaches cannot evaluate your potential if they don't know you're out there.  BATRS is hands-on program tat will find that opportunity for you” said Barrett. “With the athletic ability and talent that Bakersfield continually produces, there is no reason that more of our student athletes aren't taking advantage of the opportunities that are available.”

Take Xavier Tavorn, 18, an integral part of the 2007 Garces Memorial Varsity Baseball team. Athletically gifted, he considered playing either football or baseball in college, yet nothing was formally established. In discussing his expectations, wants and needs with his Coach Barrett, a recruiting program was immediately put together. Xavier went through some training, and was packaged as the all-star athlete he truly is. Three weeks later, Xavier was offered a full-tuition scholarship, and a spot on the Louis-Clark State College Baseball team. Due to Barrett's positive working relationships with such colleges and trusted recommendations, Xavier was signed sight unseen.

Tavorn's former Garces teammates Kevin Inman and Steve McDermott will also be furthering their baseball careers at Pepperdine University and Texas Christian University, and will be working in Barrett's BATRS program over the summer. 

“As a walk-on at TCU, my training program is much different than Kevin or Xavier's,” said McDermott. “It's a good program because it is all about personal attention, setting personal goals and creating individualized programs, which makes the experience not only highly effective, but special, too.  We know we have an advocate that is highly connected in the collegiate baseball community who will continue to support and help us as we embark on our individual collegiate careers.”

The NCAA estimates that students who don't seek recruiting assistance have about a 5 percent chance of successful placement, while BATRS placement rate is 100 percent in 2007. Additionally, BATRS will help find scholarships that align with athletic and academic ability, making the costly investment of a higher education an option for athletes that would otherwise not have the opportunity.

“I know of plenty of athletes that come from low-income families, with excellent grades and abilities, but are afraid to even look at colleges. Coach Barrett is responsible for keeping me eligible, stressing academics and good character, which led me to stay in school, rather than dropping out, which was an option at one time,” says 2006 NL Batting Champion, Freddy Sanchez, of the Pittsburgh Pirates. “I was ready to quit the game altogether, yet Coach Barrett recognized the opportunities that I didn't even see in myself.”

“Sure its every athletes dream to make it big. But there are only a few who make it big. And of those, only 4 percent of all athletes that were millionaires as players are millionaires when they retire,” notes Barrett. “We are here to not only hone playing ability, but to provide a sense of the bigger picture, the importance of education, responsibility and being a good steward for the community in which we live. We want to teach life skills that will make BATRS athletes successful in whatever venture they embark following high school graduation.”

If interested in participating in one of BATRS training programs, including college placement counseling, contact Denny Barrett at 472-3954 or via e-mail at: dbarrett@garces.org. The current BATRS program is a 100-hour summer commitment, which includes individual weight conditioning and nutrition programs. It will start today at 5 p.m. at Garces Memorial High School. Space is limited, but there are still spots available for athletes interested in participating.

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