Sequoyah Stonecipher's Aflac Diary, July 18, 2006. Why I committed to USD for college.

Sequoyah Stonecipher’s Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic Diary

July 18, 2006

The Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic is less than a month away and I’m excited about playing in the game. It’s a great honor to be picked -- some great players have played in it.

I talked to Sean O’Sullivan – he played in the 2004 game from Valhalla and is now pitching in the Anaheim Angels organization – and he told me it was the best experience he had in amateur baseball.

But before August arrives, it has already been a busy summer of baseball for me. In fact, this has been my busiest summer of baseball.

After the high school season, I usually take a break from baseball. My parents have never been the type to push me into playing all the time. I live in Ocean Beach and my dad has a surf shop, Rocky’s Surf Shop. So I like to surf and hit the beach to relax.

But the summer before your senior year is when a lot of the evaluating takes place from college coaches for scholarship opportunities and from pro scouts for the amateur draft in June 2007. We made the decision I would play in the Aflac game and attend some of the other elite events this summer.

Since my high school season at Mission Bay ended with a loss in the CIF San Diego Section Division III semifinals, I’ve been to three elite events: the Perfect Game National Showcase in Fayetteville, Ark.; USA Baseball Junior National tryouts in Joplin, Mo.; and the World Wood Bat Association tournament in Atlanta.

They were great experiences, and I’ll tell you more about them later. But first I should tell you I’ve already made my oral commitment for college.

I don’t know for sure what pro scouts are thinking about me, but I’ve decided to commit to the University of San Diego. I plan to sign a national letter-of-intent in November, the first day the NCAA permits us to do so, with Coach Rich Hill and the Toreros.

I’m excited about the program Coach Hill is building at USD. He’s recruited good talent and USD has been to the NCAA tournament three of the last five years. It’s an up-and-coming program. Coach Hill says he’s looking for the next group of players who can take the Toreros to the next level – the College World Series.

I would love to be part of my recruiting class helping USD advance to its first College World Series in Omaha, Neb., annual site of the CWS. But I still have my senior year of high school to play, and USD has enough talent returning that the Toreros might get to Omaha before me.

I love the idea of playing in my hometown and USD has a beautiful campus. It’s a great school and a great baseball school. I want to play in the Major Leagues, but if pro baseball doesn’t work out for me, I know I’ll get a great education at USD.