Life is always busy for a 3-sport high school athlete. But the summers are especially crazy.
Jerrick Suiter, an incoming junior at Valparaiso High School is making a name for himself in the state of Indiana as an All-Star-caliber player in the fall, winter, and the spring. Suiter, though, doesn’t have a lot of time during the summer.
“Summer workouts for football are usually early in the morning is at 5:45, then basketball at 7,” Sutier claimed, nonchalantly. “Indiana Bulls (baseball) is usually with the Indiana Bulls and those in the afternoons or over the weekend.”
The Indiana Bulls are a traveling baseball team, comprised of some of the best players in the state.
The team goes around the region playing other All-Star teams. This past weekend, the team traveled to the University of Louisville for a tournament. The Bulls are not a team to sneeze at, they’ve produced 98 players who have been drafted into professional baseball, including Scott Rolen, Jake Fox, and Aaron Heilmann.
Living in Valpo his whole life, Suiter credits both his father and the Valparaiso sports scene for his love for sports. Suiter played several sports growing up in town, “Soccer, basketball, baseball, football, wrestling—basically everything.”
His favorite sport is basketball. Why? “My dad played basketball. I’ve aways been raised to play basketball and I’ve loved it ever since I started playing.”
The Vikings basketball team this year features many returning players. The only real subtraction, besides the coach, was senior Hayden Humes. On his team’s chances next her, Suiter was confident in their chances, “We’re not going to be the biggest team, but we’ve been working real hard lifting and getting at it all summer.”
One thing for sure is when the summer wanes and the school year begins, be sure to watch out for Suiter and the Vikings, no matter what season.
To watch a video interview with Suiter, click here. Special thanks to Bob Strempka of Stempka Gallery for provided a few of the photos. www.strempkagallery.com