Written By: T.K. Kawasaki
In the United States, 70% of youth athletes stop participating in sports by high school. There are various causes to their cessation in sports, but those probabilities are higher in Southern California where youth sports is highly competitive. In this area, competitive high school baseball programs may host a tryout with upwards of 150 incoming Freshmen seeking a spot on a 15-man roster. It is common to observe youth athletes failing to make their freshman teams even with years of travel ball experience. Our success story is about an athlete who was one of that 70%. This is the story of Aiden Franco, a current senior baseball player who has overcome the traditional trajectory of a youth athlete. An athlete who has proven coaches wrong, time and time again.
Aiden initially enrolled into Champion’s QUEST in the summer going into his Freshman year of high school. That summer, he attended the high school baseball tryouts and was not chosen to be on the team. This Southern California high school was a powerhouse. Multiple MLB player alumnis, recent CIF Division 1 champion, and was consistently ranked in the top 25 teams in California. At 5 foot 7 inches, 110 lbs, and throwing 68 mph off the mound, Aiden was
not ready for that level of competition. After the rejection from the team, he began his development to attempt to re-tryout later in the school year.
In the initial assessment, we identified several key deficiencies in Aiden’s physical abilities.
1. Standing Vertical: 21.5 inches
2. Approach Vertical: 23.0 inches
3. Upper Body Strength Metrics: 1.5 points
And the overall assessment score was at 12.9 points.
Through two months of strength development, appropriate plyometrics, and rotational power movements, Aiden’s physical abilities entering the re-tryout were:
1. Standing Vertical: 23.5 inches
2. Approach Vertical: 25.0 inches
3. Upper Body Strength Metrics: 4.7 points
And the overall score increased to 22.4 points.
The development in physical ability translated to his performance on the mound as well, with his fastball velocity seeing a 8 mph increase during the 2 month period. With a completely different package than the summer tryout, Aiden faced the re-tryout with 30 other players. Out of those 30 players, he was the only athlete that earned a roster spot.
Now Aiden Franco is a senior, entering his second season on the Varsity roster coming off a junior year where he was awarded First-Team All League, and League MVP. His assessment metrics have increased by 300%, his fastball velocity has increased to touch 90 mph, and he will be continuing his baseball career at a college of his choice. Often, athletes limit their potential to their current abilities which can be developed and changed with proper assessment, programming, and execution. Aiden did not possess an innate skill or talent that allowed him to overcome his obstacles. He was patient, consistent, and relentless. All skills that can be developed within an athlete.
