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| Chase, Springboro's starting catcher for 2012 and 2013. Photo by Max Surikov, Maxim Photo Studio. |
My nephew Chase
Kirby has always been one for the spotlight.
He had his picture
taken with Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips a few weeks ago, and Phillips
sent it on Twitter to the 800,000 or so followers he has. Yeah, yeah, sort of a
“Me and my buddy Chase” sort of thing. That would be the highlight of my life,
but it seems to be an everyday kind of thing for Chase.
A year or so ago,
I was watching a big basketball game with Duke at Ohio State, and there stood
Chase in the second row behind the Buckeye bench, enjoying the game with his
buddy Maverick Morgan, who was there on a college visit. Ho hum. I’ll bet Coach
K wanted his autograph.
Then there has
been Chase’s activity at Springboro High School all year, particularly as one
of the leaders of the famous Blue Crew cheering section.
Chase has always
been in the center of everything, getting things done and often stirring things
up.
He has what I call
star quality – with good looks, a quiet confidence and just enough goofball to
make everything funny.
He just finished
up his senior season for the Boro baseball team, where he had been the team’s starting
catcher over the last two years. A big chapter in his life has now come to an
end. But, in another way, this is only the beginning.
You’re going to
see Chase someday as part of something really big.
Maybe he’ll be
director of baseball operations for the Reds or maybe he’ll be a sports
announcer.
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| Chase escorted Aubrey Nelson at Homecoming. |
It’s also possible
that he could be the next Will Farrell.
Shoot, I wouldn’t
be surprised if one day Forrest Gump wants to meet him because he is the
president of the United States (you have to read that sentence the way Forrest
would).
Chase went out as
a Panther last week in typical style.
The Panthers had
their last regular season home game last Monday, and for Chase and his senior
teammates, it was Senior Night.
In the bottom of
the third, with Boro trailing 3-0, Chase met an inside fastball with all his
power and might, and lined a double down the left field line, continuing a
much-needed Boro rally.
He stood proud and
tall at second base, taking in the much-deserved attention he was receiving.
“Atta boy, 1-1,”
said one teammate from the dugout. “Way to turn on the ball, Chase,” said
another.
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| Chase and Sean Welsh teamed up for an awesome shake weight routine at two of the home basketball games. |
As he took his
lead at second base, you could just feel the game turn in Springboro’s favor.
It was fitting for
Chase to be in the center of it.
It was his moment,
the by-product of a lot of hard work and loyalty. Chase has always been so
proud to be a Panther.
He’s always been
ready.
I remember a
Saturday back when Chase was in the fifth grade, when I had a spontaneous idea
for a photo shoot for a project I was working on.
“Chase, I need you
to meet me down at the football field in about an hour. I know you’re game’s
not until later this afternoon, but I need you to get dressed now,” I said.
“I’m already
ready,” he said. And then I chuckled to myself. Of course he was. What else
would Chase be doing SEVEN hours before kickoff?
He’s given his
heart to be a Panther.
Moments after Chase
hit that double on Senior Night, Sean Pfeiffer, Springboro’s right fielder who
will play at Ashland, lined a single to right field, allowing Chase to score.
That reflected the
team unity Chase has needed and enjoyed all throughout his Springboro career. This
magical senior year in particular has been all the more enjoyable for Chase
because he’s been able to share with guys like Austin Woodby, Jordan Little and
Jake Johnson, among many, many others.
He will now
graduate with a million wonderful memories of his high school experience.
He will forever
have his photographs of football Friday nights, the Prom Fest show and his
Shake Weight routine at the basketball games.
He’ll have his days in a Springboro uniform , of the times when he lived out his dream.
And
those photographs will all be tucked away, in nice display.
You and I, we have
scrapbooks. With Chase, the world will someday call his scrapbook the
Presidential Archives.
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| This photo needs no description. This is Chase and his friend Cole Stevensat a Panther football game.. |