Column: Servite’s Jarrod Hocking fills senior baseball season with stellar play

Jarrod Hocking’s arms are linebacker thick though he hasn’t performed soccer since his freshman yr.

“At Servite, we undoubtedly get after it within the weight room,” the 5-foot-9, 180-pound senior heart fielder mentioned.

Confirmed Servite baseball coach Shawn Gilbert: “He likes the burden room.”

With these highly effective arms, fast toes and uncanny hand-eye coordination, Hocking has found that baseball suits him completely. He entered this week batting .437 with 17 hits, 9 RBIs and 6 extra-base hits because the leadoff hitter by means of 11 video games.

He comes from a household the place sports activities are worshipped and appreciated three hundred and sixty five days a yr. His father, Denny, was a significant leaguer for 13 years. His mom, Venetta, performed basketball at Cypress Faculty. His twin sisters, Penelope and Iliana, have been soccer gamers at USC and Arizona, respectively, and set the stage for his or her youthful brother to observe with ardour and dedication.

“It fuels me,” he mentioned of his household‘s sports activities success. “They might say, ‘We did this, we did that.’ It makes me excited. It makes me wish to compete.”

Having dedicated to UCLA, Hocking ought to have acquired some ribbing from Penelope, the USC sister, proper?

“She simply mentioned, ‘Don’t date anyone on the UCLA soccer group.’ These have been her solely phrases,” he mentioned.

He credit his father for educating him classes about baseball however insisted Denny likes staying within the background.

“I’ve labored with him lots over time, understanding my physique and the psychological facet of competing,” he mentioned. “He’s all the time watching.”

If there’s one attribute that ought to turn out to be useful as Hocking climbs the sports activities ladder, it’s his potential to deal with stress moments as simply one other second.

“I by no means get nervous,” he mentioned.

Meaning he’s the best participant to be on the plate on a 3-and-2 depend with a sport on the road.

UCLA coach John Savage mentioned, “Jarrod impacts the sport along with his bat and performs elite protection. He has great baseball pedigree and a really shiny future.”

Gilbert mentioned monitoring down fly balls is the place Hocking has made a big impact for the Friars. “It’s simply superb,” he mentioned. “He covers extra floor than anybody we’ve had. Towards Santa Margarita, he had a game-saving catch when he dove.”

Final yr was difficult for Hocking due to a hamstring damage that restricted his effectiveness. He spent months targeted on reaching a stage of well being that will enable him to point out what sort of a participant he’s when nothing is holding him again.

It’s occurring this season.

“I’m taking part in to the very best of my potential proper now,” he mentioned, “one hundred pc.”

Pace is an enormous a part of his sport, whether or not it’s operating the bases, beating out floor balls or roaming the outfield.

Rising up, he performed a number of sports activities. He’d attend practices and video games of his sisters, studying what it takes to achieve success at a excessive stage.

At 18, he’s an adolescent who is aware of what path to observe and will probably be enjoyable seeing the affect he makes alongside the best way.