Jason Willow is only 13 years old but he is already starting to get noticed for his athletic ability.
Willow and his Team sa国际传媒 teammates just returned from the Continental Amateur Baseball Association Championship in Sylvania, Ohio, with a perfect 9-0 record and the title.
Willow, who batted well over .500 and pitched in two of the games, including the a complete game in the semifinal, was named the most valuable player.
"I was hot with the bat the entire tournament,'' said Willow, who attends Rock Heights Middle School.
"I'm aggressive at the plate and I like to jump on pitches early in the count so I can stay away from the curveballs.''
Willow was selected to Team sa国际传媒 after a 120-player tryout in Vancouver just prior to travelling to Ohio.
Team sa国际传媒 consisted of only 15 players.
"Before the camp started, I thought that I would have a good chance of making the team,'' said Willow. "But, when the numbers were reduced to 30, that was when I got very nervous.
"In Ohio, the American teams were very strong in batting and fielding. But, their pitching was not as good as ours.''
Willow currently plays with the triple-A Victoria Red Eagles in the sa国际传媒
Minor Baseball League.
Willow's manager Dave Gramlich likes having such a talented player on his team.
"JJ [Jason] is an exceptional talent,'' said Gramlich. "He mostly pitches and plays shortstop for us but he can play any position very well.
"As a pitcher, he as an overpowering fastball and he can spot that on the corners. At this level of ball, most pitchers are aiming for the centre of the plate.
He backs up his fastball with a curveball that stuns batters.''
The Red Eagles, with a 5-2 record, complete league play this weekend with road games against Abbotsford and Maple Ridge. Victoria's other team in the league, the Black Eagles, also have a 5-2 mark. The eight-team provincials are Aug. 10-12 in Richmond and that winner advances to the Western Canadians in Saskatoon.
"With us, Jason is hitting around .640 and he has yet to be caught stealing a base,'' said Gramlich. "His on-base-percentage is close to .700.''
Willow can steal bases with his speed as he is a four-time city 100-metre champion.
"I'm aggressive on the bases and I have been picked off a few times,'' said Willow. "But, I haven't been caught this year stealing.''
Besides baseball and track, Willow also excels in basketball and soccer. "I like being busy and I find time for everything and my school work.''
The 5-foot-8, 125-pound Willow started playing baseball when he was six.
Asked what he would like to be doing in 10 years, Willow said he like to be "in MLB [Major League Baseball]."
"My two favourite teams are the Toronto Blue Jays and the San Francisco Giants. I have watched several big-league games from San Diego to Seattle and also in Toronto. I love playing and also watching baseball.''
In a few years, if Willow can keep up this pace, he will have major league scouts watching his every move.
