Break out those peanuts and Cracker Jacks, it’s springtime again, and with it brings another season of baseball.
Locally, one player you may want to keep an eye on is Righetti High centerfielder Cameron Jones. Jones has been playing baseball for the past 10 years, and while he’s only a sophomore, he has a strong dedication to his craft.
When Jones isn’t manning the outfield for the Warriors, he’s doing so for his club team, the California Wahoos, in the summer and fall.
“It’s my favorite sport, hands down. It’s baseball year round,” Jones said. “You never know who’s watching, so every time I’m out there, I give 100 percent.”
A lot of people have been watching—including scouts—but because of the complex world of NCAA recruiting, not much contact has been made as of yet. All those eyes haven’t affected Jones much; he’s too busy focusing on school and improving his game.
In an ideal world, Jones would become a University of Texas Longhorn and play ball for his dream school. While there, he would major in audio engineering and pursue his other passion, producing music. For Jones, baseball and music go hand in hand.
“Music has always been there for me,” he explained. “Before every game, I plug in my iPod, try not to say much to anyone, and get focused.”
As of press time, Jones and the Warriors were 4-7 (2-4 in league play), they but have yet to play their best ball, he said.
“We look really good on paper, but talent wise we should be doing a lot better,” Jones said. “There’s still a lot of season left, so with time, we’re going to grow. The team chemistry is there.”
Cohesiveness is important for a baseball team, and players need to have each other’s backs. Jones grew up with most of his teammates, so there’s a bond there that still gives him high hopes for this season. If anything, the familiarity allows everyone to play looser.
“Basically, it’s just another year with my friends, but at a higher level of baseball,” he said.
This article appears in Apr 14-21, 2011.
