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30 | June 14, 2018 | The lake forest leader SPORTS LakeForestLeader.com Going Places Durbin not phased by upcoming transition to college ball Brittany Kapa, Sports Editor Competitors in the North Suburban Conference know all too well how difficult it is to contain a player like Caleb Durbin. The now graduated Lake Forest High School shortstop has been a terror for area teams. In his senior year alone, Durbin stole 23 bases (was only caught twice), had an on-base percentage of .434, amassed 38 hits and slugged home runs He was fast, aggressive, confident and was a nightmare for most pitchers. Durbin proved time and time again just how talented he was in all aspects of baseball. Durbin, a three-sport athlete for the Scouts, has always had a soft spot for baseball. When it came time to make his decision for college, Durbin let the recruiting process guide him. “The whole recruiting process led me to Washington University (in St. Louis),” Durbin said. “I started off the summer, going into my senior year, just reaching out to a bunch of schools I was interested in.” One of Durbin’s main Caleb Durbin slides back to first base after trying to steal second. concerns was to find a college that offered not only a competitive baseball program, but one that also had a great economics program. Washington University in St. Louis fit that bill. Claremount McKenna College in California was also on Durbin’s short list, but he liked that Wash U was only five hours away from home, not half way across the country. “I didn’t feel too comfortable going all the way out to California,” he said. Missouri, being only a long drive from home, made Durbin more comfortable with the decision. The Bears’ program was the other deciding factor for Durbin. “I really like their coaching staff there and they’re really committed to making Wash U a big time (Division-III) program and that’s what I want to play for,” he said. Since Wash U heavily recruits from the Chicago area, Durbin has already been contacted, and made acquaintances with, a few players from the area. Henry Singer, a Highland Park High School alumnus, just completed his freshman year with the Bears. Durbin, Singer and a few other recruits from the Chicago area all met up for dinner recently, which has already help ease the transition from Caleb Durbin (left), a 2018 Lake Forest High School alumnus, will compete for Washington University in St. Louis next season. 22nd Century Media File Photos high school to college. In terms of the game, Durbin isn’t worried about how his skills will transition to the next level. He feels his time in Lake Forest has prepared him well for the task. “We’re in a really tough conference,” Durbin said. “Baseball wise, the last couple years, we’ve produced pitchers in our conference that have been drafted. There are a lot of D-I pitchers in our conference and I’m really lucky to have see that on a regular basis going to Lake Forest.” Locally, one player, a former teammate, had a profound impacted on Durbin’s style of play as a young Scout. Cal Coughlin, now a DI pitcher for Texas Christian University, taught an impressionable Durbin important lessons that he still utilizes today. “I got a chance to play with him when I was a sophomore and he was a senior,” Durbin said. “I really got to see him close up and he really influenced my game. “He taught me how to be super competitive, basically.” That competitiveness and aggressiveness has fueled Durbin in all aspects of the game, most importantly his masterful base-running abilities. Durbin committed to Wash U officially a few months ago, and the reality of being a D-III athlete is slowly setting in for Durbin. Durbin still has summer baseball ahead of him and said he will be working on his speed, among other things, this summer to prepare himself for that crucial next step. “It will definitely be a new experience but I’m still playing baseball and I’m still playing the same sport that I’ve been playing the last 10-12 years of my life,” he said. “That aspect won’t change too much.” Lake Forest High School Spring 2018 All-Conference Athletes Girls Lacrosse Olivia Douglass Audrey Kaus Caroline Skinner Kara Antonucci Addie Sidles Mary Doheny Girls Soccer Sophia DiVagno Cameron Esplin Leland Keller Honorable Mention Katherine Bondoc Mary Gregg Softball Sydney Martens Jon’nah Williams Girls Water Polo Emory Homan Payton (Flynn) McClellan Honorable Mention Elisabeth (Lilly) Mass Tierney Sassen Baseball Caleb Durbin Andrew Gough Honorable Mention Drew Golde Boys Lacrosse Jack Mislinsky Mead Payne Christopher Cavalaris Jack Van Hyfte Adam Johnson Danny Moorhead Honorable Mention George Schoettle Boys Volleyball Joseph Chamberlin Kevin Lamp Honorable Mention Jacob Danneker Boys Water Polo Charlie Capps Greg Damidot Honorable Mention Charlie Mickey
LakeForestLeader.com SPORTS the lake forest leader | June 14, 2018 | 31 From the Sports Editor Parents, invest in your daughters 22nd Century Media File Photo 1st-and-3 Scouts First Team 1. Kevin Lamp (ABOVE) The Lake Forest junior’s aggressive offense made his First Team placement a nobrainer. This year he led the team in kills during a successful season. 2. Kyle Waggoner. The Scouts cocaptain kept his composure during the season to be a senior leader and helped end the season on a high note. 3. Justin McCartney Lake Forest junior setter was an easy choice for the Team 22 First Team, he was an all-around threat for Lake Forest this season. Brittany Kapa b.kapa@22ndcenturymedia.com I want to share a recent experience I had with you, so settle in for a short story time. Part of my job as a sports editor with 22nd Century Media is covering local sports, high school mostly, which means that I’m out at games quite a bit. About a month ago, I covered a game in Lake Forest. It was the first round of the softball regional quarterfinal game and the Scouts took on Highland Park High School at the west campus. I was there taking photos of the game when, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a young girl, maybe 8 or 9 years old, petting a dog next to me. Me being the sucker I am for cute dogs, I looked over. The first thing I noticed was that the young girl was wearing a San Jose Sharks sweatshirt. I couldn’t help myself and had to ask her if she liked hockey. She nodded her head yes. Then, I asked her if she played and her response came as a shock to me. “No, my brother does,” she said. “I want to but my parents said it’s too expensive for me to play too.” On my 45 minute drive home I couldn’t shake that response out of my head. Every thought imaginable was running through my head. “Why didn’t her parents just reuse her brother’s equipment for her?” “I wonder if they know that there are inexpensive clinics that she could try?” Now, I won’t pretend that I know this girl’s family’s financial situation, but what struck me as sad was that she wasn’t even given the opportunity, but her brother was. That didn’t sit right with me. Years ago, after I started playing hockey as an adult, I remember asking my mom why they never signed me up. “We asked your brother, but we never thought you’d be the one to play hockey,” my mom said in response. Thinking back to my childhood, I never knew women even played hockey so I can’t blame my mom for that response. I did feel for this young girl though, and I hope that she finds a way to convince her parents to let her at least try hockey. I think it’s so important to give these young girls at least the opportunity to try. Thankfully, it seems like we’re entering an age where, as a society, we appreciate and respect women who have made a career out of being professional athletes. For too long the professional sports market has been dominated by men, and I’m happy to see women gaining recognition for the hard work they put into their profession. I can’t tell you the elation I felt watching Team USA’s Women’s Ice Hockey team take gold in the 2018 Winter Olympics over Team Canada. My teammates and I were also up until the wee hours of the morning cheering the team on, watching every minute of the game and believing that they could do it. The country’s celebration of those women – including appearances on various talk shows like The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon – was an important moment in women’s professional sports history. It was inspiring to see those women, and their athletic accomplishment, celebrated nationally. I also can’t tell you how excited I was to write about Hilary Knight and her journey to the Olympic games and all of the hard work that went into getting there. Their success only supports the idea that if you support young athletes and encourage them, they can accomplish anything. It’s great to see that play out from start to finish. As someone who started playing hockey as an adult, I’m always trying to encourage the next generation to start hockey at a young age. I’ve tried to convince my 6-year-old niece, to no avail, that she should play hockey like Auntie Britty, but she’s just not interested in it yet. And that’s fine. At 6 she wants to take ballet lessons or dance lessons. I’ll be at every performance supporting her. Now, her younger sister, who is only 2, might be the one to follow in her aunt’s footsteps (she’s a very fearless and independent child) for which I am extremely excited for, but only time will tell. I’ve been the sports editor for this paper since October and I know how many opportunities are out there for young athletes all over the North Shore. At the high school level there are some very talented athletes throughout Lake Forest, so I’m hoping that tradition continues. Now, for those that are interested in getting their daughters into sports, any sport, I encourage you to take time to talk to them about their options. I wish I would have known as a child that girls, women, play hockey. I’ve also learned in the time I’ve been a journalist that there are quite a few programs, in every sport, geared toward young children and getting them to try it out. I encourage you to seek out those programs. I know for hockey in particular the Chicago Blackhawks have quite a few Try Hockey clinics that they set up all over Illinois. Lake Forest has a myriad of options for young athletes to try sports through the park district and there are even private organizations, like the Lake Forest Lacrosse Association, that offer instructional classes. Listen Up “I’m still playing the same sport that I’ve been playing the last 10-12 years of my life.” Caleb Durbin— Lake Forest baseball player, on transitioning to play college baseball tune in Night on the Range The Lake Bluff Golf Club has everything needed for a fun night on the links. • Lake Bluff Golf Club, Friday, June 15, 5-7 p.m. Index 30 - Going Places 27 - Athlete of the Week Fastbreak is compiled by Sports Editor Brittany Kapa. Send any questions or comments to b.kapa@22ndcenturymedia.com.
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