CLEMENTE HIGH SCHOOL

Wednesday, October 1, 2008Updated: October 9, 12:55 PM ETEmphasis on academics propels Clemente High prospects
By Cesar RodriguezESPNdeportes.com
CHICAGO -- Adrian Perez pushes his backpack through a metal detector before entering Robert Clemente High School. Amid the chaos and worry about the possibility of a fight in the hallway or other violence, Perez instead looks forward to maintaining a good academic average that would enable him to continue doing what he loves most: playing baseball.
"It hasn't been easy," Perez, a senior, said, "but I see that discipline is important if you want to become a professional. In my school, there are a lot of players who would rather join a gang instead of committing to the sport, which they see as just a game."
At Roberto Clemente High School, sports are more than just a game  they're a way out. With that in mind, coach Christopher Hall took his players to Puerto Rico at the beginning of the season to play in a tournament and give them the opportunity to explore firsthand the Puerto Rican scenario, where baseball is a cultural value.
"This school has a negative reputation. We have to work twice as hard because people see us as gangsters and they think that, because of our many problems, nobody wants to study," Perez said. "But we are talented and we can go far. The trip to Puerto Rico taught us that there is a different culture outside of our community."
On the streets of the Humboldt Park community in Chicago, drugs, school dropouts and gangs are part of life. Here, Hall attempts to fight chaos with baseball.
Roberto Clemente High School is named for the former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder. Devoted to charity work in Latino countries, Clemente died in December 1972 on his way to Nicaragua to deliver aid to victims of an earthquake.
For the past six years, Roberto Clemente High School has been in the spotlight for developing some of the best baseball players in Illinois. Hall implemented academic prerequisites for players and has shown them a more passionate desire for success.
"In my team, the student will learn the importance of studying," Hall said. "If he chooses not to study, he will not play. It is something that they have to understand, they have to comply with the academic requirements."
Hall, a scout for the Atlanta Braves, said the success of players who have come out of Roberto Clemente High School has motivated a few young prospects to follow his advice.
Hall and several parents have been a critical element in the development of these athletes, but at times they have struggled for support within the Humboldt Park community.
"I work hard to help the schools in my community," said city alderman Manny Flores, who helps promote the sport in the community. "But we need parents to get involved. Sports is something that young people need, and we are very proud of our baseball team here at the Roberto Clemente High School."
School council president Judy Vazquez said "only one local politician has shown interest in the school." She supported the team in trying to raise money for its trip to Puerto Rico. According to Vazquez, local businesses refused to donate.
"Business-oriented folks think that youngsters are here only to steal from them," she said. "They don't understand that our players need the support because they come from very poor families. For the trip to Puerto Rico, everyone said 'yes,' but when the time came, one of the local merchants even sent a check for $10. It was humiliating."
Hall acknowledges feeling disappointed with coverage by the local media, who he says portray school violence prominently but ignore student-athletes' successes.
"I called the sportswriters from the Sun-Times and the Tribune, and they all told me the same thing: 'Your trip to Puerto Rico with the team is not good material for a feature.' Well, but the sports sections devoted to high school sports in those newspapers are full of features of teams from the suburbs and teams with white kids on them. How come my story is not good enough for them?" Hall said.
Financial support is scarce, but that hasn't been a barrier for players such as shortstop Marvin Sanchez, who received a scholarship to play for the University of Northern Illinois. Sanchez said the discipline he received in his home and while playing for Roberto Clemente High have been keys to his success.
"I want to be a role model for kids," he said. "Growing up in this neighborhood is not easy because there are drugs, gangs, and many friends don't have goals in life. It hasn't been easy for me at NIU because I am the only Latino there, and I am used to playing with Latinos. I don't worry; I know I will succeed and I will represent my family and Humboldt Park."
Aside from the social and academic obstacles of his first year in college, Sanchez faced one of the most complex challenges of his life: the killings at NIU on Feb. 14. Sanchez refused to comment on the tragedy, but he did say that baseball helped him heal.
Shortstop Marvin Sanchez says the values he learned while playing at Roberto Clemente High School helped him earn a scholarship to Northern Illinois.
"That was something that happened," he said. "I lost friends … but I have my family with me, and we will move on. The most important thing is staying in the fight and achieving my goals."
Victor Diaz, a Clemente High alumnus and outfielder with the Seattle Mariners' Triple-A affiliate Tacoma Rainiers, was nominated as one of the best high school players in Illinois four years in a row. Diaz, a Dominican native, started his career with the New York Mets on Sept. 11, 2004, and immediately showed his potential, hitting three home runs before the end of the month.
Despite the struggles Hall faces, he is committed to training players to become great baseball players, strong students and men who walk through life with their heads held high.
Perez expects to receive a scholarship to play Division I baseball. Someday, he says, his dream is to reach the major leagues and say: "I played at the Roberto Clemente High School."