Paul Cloutier ‘24
STAFF WRITER
The bat crashes into the baseball with a clang. The ball soars as the bat falls limply to the ground. Ian Dempsey runs past second base, then third before making it back to home base. The crowd goes wild.
This is no ordinary high schooler.
At 18, the Sarasota resident has been the right fielder for the Riverview Rams, one of the highest-ranking high school baseball teams in the state during Dempsey’s senior year. He also plays on a travel team during the summer.
As much as he loves the sport, it is also very stressful.
In addition to the typical seven-hour school day, this past year, Dempsey played 2-3 games a week in addition to practices and workouts.
That is okay though because Dempsey, an IB senior, handled it well.
Next year, Dempsey will be attending Lesley University in Massachusetts and continuing baseball.
Thanks to his talent as a player, his college will be partially paid for through a scholarship offered by the school.
At times, Dempsey was not sure he would be able to continue playing. '
After last year’s season was cut short with COVID, leaving the team to only play 9 of its 25 planned games, Dempsey was not sure he would get to play again this year.
“It’s been a blessing to be able to play this year,” he said. “It’s made me stressed, but I won’t let it get the best of me.”
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