He left the car after listening to “This is the Way I Live” by Baby Boy Da Prince, his bag is placed at the front of the bench, closest to the entrance of the dugout, and he avoids touching any of the foul lines. Baseball team captain Bryce Shemer is ready for another game.
Though Bryce used to play flag football and participate in recreational basketball, he chose to stick with baseball because he finds it unlike any other sport and he has a natural talent for the game.
“[My dad] used to take me to Orioles games to watch Eddie Murray, Mike Mussina and my favorite, Cal Ripken, Jr.,” Bryce said. “He started me out in T-ball when I was 4, and I have been playing since.”
Bryce’s father, Richard Shemer, sparked Bryce’s interest in baseball from a young age and though Richard has always encouraged Bryce to play ball, he has never had to force him.
“I [can’t] get enough of it,” Bryce said. “I prepare for the season by hitting, throwing and lifting as much as I can. Strengthening my core, legs and arms are the keys to getting ready for the season. I also do a lot of speed and agility drills to help with my quickness on the field.”
Bryce, who left last season in amazing shape, is being recruited by many Division I schools including New Mexico State, a top-20 baseball school. Now, in his third year on varsity, Bryce will catch, pitch and play some infield for the team but looks to play mostly shortstop or second base in college.
According to Richard, who played Minor League baseball himself, college recruiters generally look for three things: arm strength, speed and hitting ability.
Coach Scott Blackwood, who is in his first season as CHS’s head coach, admires Bryce’s natural ability as well as his dedication to the game and his ability to lead by example.
“[Bryce] has intangibles that cannot be taught,” Blackwood said. “He knows the game very well and has great baseball instincts. Bryce has good arm strength, fields well, has a good approach at the plate, can hit for power and has above average speed.”
Bryce practices six to seven times a week for three to four hours a day pitching, catching, and playing shortstop.
“From a coach’s perspective I wish I had nine of him on my team,” Blackwood said. “He is someone I can tell to do something and you know it is going to get done.”
According to Blackwood, the other players look up to Bryce because he does not tell the other players what to do, but leads by example instead.
“[He’s a] great leader, great player and hard worker,” teammate and junior Russ Rentfro said. “He really helps us a lot.”
Going into his senior year, Bryce played in the MVP Baseball Academy which is centered in Santa Barbara, Calif. The academy is attended by many athletes who are looking to go to Division I schools and who compete in the league to get noticed by colleges in order to get recruited later in the year.
“It’s not the stats or the amount of homeruns,” Richard said. “I’m most proud of his commitment to the game. I never pushed him to do baseball but I told him whatever you do, whatever sport you do, you do it one hundred percent, but it’s never been an issue.”
