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Dennis Semrau

Wissports.net



Jordan Paszek doesn t have to take a backseat to anyone when it comes to preparing for college.

 

While many young student-athletes and their parents waste much of their time and energy worrying about attaining an NCAA Division I scholarship, the Hartland Arrowhead senior took advantage of some early exposure to find what he calls "a perfect fit for me."

 

Paszek, a 6-foot-3 left-handed pitcher, recently announced that he will attend NCAA Division II Dominican (N.Y.) College next year to play baseball. Dominican College is a private liberal arts school in Orangeburg, N.Y., a suburb just 17 miles from New York City.

 

"I ve got a good-sized scholarship from them athletically and then I ve got even more (aid) academically," said Paszek, who plans to study mathematics with a specialization in Actuarial Science. "From there I m hoping to bring in just a couple thousand more through outside scholarships to put it at a full-ride."

 

A returning Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association all-state first team selection, Paszek helped lead Arrowhead to the 2009 WIAA Summer State baseball championship. He then played for the Wisconsin Wildcats summer program, which garnered much success.

 

Paszek said his baseball travels have taken him around the country and his experiences include pitching against teams from Puerto Rico and Japan. He said one of those trips led to his selection of Dominican College to continue his baseball career.



"I was out East playing in a tournament and I got a call about a week before it two or three years ago that they were short on players and needed somebody to come help pitch and my parents agreed to it. I went out there and threw a one-hitter the first game I pitched," Paszek recalled.

 

"(Dominican) had a coach there, but he was not able to talk to me because I was too young at the time. However, sure enough, I get a call about six months ago and he was still interested."

 

Paszek said he was impressed with the effort that Dominican, a small private school in New York City, made during the recruiting process.

 

"It was something because that school has put forth a ton of effort into having me come here. On the schools you normally visit, you spend one night and they accommodate you," he said.

 

"But I went out there for two nights and went into the city and spent time with the players and got to see the place a heck of a lot better. They made me feel like I was wanted and really had a home there."

 

Paszek said the combination of academics and baseball made his decision an easy one.

 

"It s smaller than my high school actually but the academics are great. Athletically, they are in the NCAA tournament again for baseball," he said.

 

Paszek said he was also pleased to have the recruiting process settled with the first day of summer baseball practice beginning today.

 

"It does help a lot because I don t want to have to go into my last year not knowing where I m going to go," he said. "Especially with coach O Driscoll retiring, it helps to know I ve got a place to go when I m done with my four years here."

 

Jordan is following in the footsteps of his father, Tony, who played baseball for the University of Evansville.

 

"My dad has taught me everything I know about pitching," Paszek said proudly. "But I ve also had some other great baseball role models including former UW-Milwaukee coach and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jerry Augustine, Arrowhead coach Tim O Driscoll, and coach Todd Peterson.

 

"They are all dedicated and have a passion for baseball like I do. They ve shared their great knowledge and love of the game with me, too."

 

Paszek said it was important to know his baseball career would continue into college.

 

"When I was a sophomore and junior I watched the seniors season end, my sophomore year especially, because we didn t win state it was hard on the seniors when it ended. It was over," he said.

 

"One player was going on to play college ball and had something to look forward to. I wanted to be in that position as well. Through hard work and a couple of blessings, I was able to do that."

 

Other recent additions to the commit list for the 2011 season include:

 

*** West De Pere senior shortstop Travis Mason will play baseball at Carthage College next year. Mason earned Bay Conference second team honors as a junior when the Phantoms finished runner-up to Hortonville in league play.

West DePere, which lost 1-0 to Fox Valley Lutheran in a sectional championship last season, is 14-1 and currently ranked first in the latest Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association Division 2 poll.

 

*** Ashwaubenon right-handed pitcher A.J. Haley and catcher Ben Schuurmans have committed to attend MATC: The senior duo, who both earned Fox River Classic Conference second-team honors a year ago, has helped lead the Jaguars to a 12-6 record, including 12-3 in league play, this spring.