By Adrian Ceddia
LOCAL baseball prodigy Tayler Rowe has not yet turned 18, but after another positive performance in the green and gold of Australia, he may be off to the glittering lights of America.
Rowe recently returned from an under 19 playoff series against New Zealand on the Gold Coast, a competition to determine which team would contest the world championships in Cuba later this year.
Australia came into the match heavily favoured to advance, and it did so with a 5-0 clean sweep, conceding only one run along the way.
“We were just hoping to qualify. If we lost we wouldn’t have made it to the World Series.”
During the series, one of Rowe’s pitches was clocked at 91mph, three more than his previous record of 88mph.
While the national team has booked its place, Rowe and his team-mates still have to prove their worth individually over the next few months to earn a spot in the final squad.
At 17, Rowe was one of the youngest members of the team, and time is on his side if the opportunity should elude him this time around.
“I’m a little confident, but there are a few more people out there with better skills than me,” he said.
“A lot of them are already signed, and they are 18 and 19.”
Also at the top of Rowe’s thinking this year will be to put pen to paper on an American baseball contract after receiving interest from several clubs.
Apart from club, state and national duties, Rowe has been fine-tuning his pitching skills at the Victorian Institute of Sport, where he spends up to three sessions per week in training.
“I’ve learnt more about pitching mechanics and getting my speed up,” he said.
Rowe’s progress in baseball was fast-tracked as a youngster, where he juggled junior and senior games for Werribee on a weekly basis.
He made his first state team as a 14-year-old, and has not missed a beat since, travelling all over the country almost every year to compete in national championships.
At 16, Rowe gave the best indication yet he had a bright future when he was selected to compete in the under 17 Australian team at the World Series.
On his return, he joined the state team for the nationals in January this year before rejoining the national squad.
The Don Deeble Sports Star Award is open to young sportspeople across the western suburbs performing at state or national level.
Nominations will be made monthly, with the club announcing an annual winner.
To nominate someone for the award, send details to: Don Deeble Sports Star, c/o Star News Group, Unit 1, 88-96 Western Avenue, Tullamarine, 3043 or email adrian.ceddia@-starnewsgroup.com.au.
Alternatively call sports reporter Adrian Ceddia on 9933 4800 during business hours.
