BH's Barrera Headed to Arizona

[sticky]

From the Baytown Sun:

By Michael Pineda

Baytown Sun 

Published March 25, 2007

MONT BELVIEU — Any injury suffered on the playing field is regrettable but the only way to describe what happened to Barbers Hill senior Chase Barrera is devastating. In the week leading up to the first game of the year Barrera was involved in a collision with a teammate that tore his MCL, ACL and cartilage. Coming into his senior year Barrera was looking at playing collegiate baseball and thanks to his academic record the dream is still alive. Barrera was invited to walk on at Arizona where he will have the chance to compete for a playing spot and win a scholarship next season.

“My grades saved me,†Barrera said. “My dad has always told me it is not about performing in the field but in the classroom as well. Academically I got 60 percent paid for and they have signed me as a recruited walk-on. If I show them I can play they will give me a scholarship. After talking with them they told me that second and third are open next season.â€

Barrera carries a 3.7 GPA and is ranked ninth in his class. His recovery is expected to take six to nine months as he is currently undergoing physical therapy twice a week. It is going to be two to three months before he can get back on the field again.

“He hasn’t missed a practice or a game except for days he has had therapy,†BH head coach Gil Stalbaum said. “He is very visual. He was our general on the field before the injury and he is still a big part of our team. I have coached him and I have taught him in the classroom. I’ve seen both sides of Chase and he is truly an outstanding individual with all of his priorities in order.â€

Entering the season one of Barrera’s priorities was to play college baseball. Barrera was first team all district his junior year and was looking at Arizona, Southwestern, Houston, Sam Houston State, Texas Christian University and Angelina with Arizona running as a favorite.

“At the beginning of January I was at a game and got a phone call,†Barrera said. “My dad told me the Arizona coach had called. I was excited, D-1, Pac-10 baseball.â€

Arizona was scheduled to come watch him play this spring but it was not to be as the collision short circuited Barrera’s season and left his baseball future in doubt.

“I was running after a foul ball in the outfield towards the foul line,†Barrera said. “I got ran into by an outfielder. He cut block me but it was an accident. It felt like I had a dead leg. I tried to run it off but ‘Doc’ brought me in and told me what had happened.

“I was devastated. You couldn’t say anything to me that would have been any worse. My dad came up and it was pretty bad. That night the team came to my house and brought me food and picked me up. I have been up ever since. I was amazed Arizona was still calling me. I don’t think they have ever seen me play. They just talked to my coaches from this summer.â€

Although there was a risk involved because of Barrera’s injury, his grades made the risk worthwhile in Arizona’s eyes. And that is what sealed the deal.

“When they called it was one of those surreal moments,†Barrera said. “It was huge. It has been one of my dreams to play college baseball. When they asked me to play for them I could have run five miles without any pain. That is how happy I was.â€

“Arizona is giving him a great opportunity and some encouragement to not only come back from the injury but to play at a high level,†Stalbaum said.

[Guest Orangeboy]

Best of luck to Chase, I really enjoyed watching that kid in the playoffs last year against HF, Silsbee, and BC.  Just wish he could have played his senior year.

[Shorty]

Wished we could have seen him play too!  Just goes to show you not only do you need to have talent but grades as well!  Good Luck Chase we are proud of you!

[Diehardstro]

Best of luck, hope everything works out well.

[Ty Cobb]

Congrats to Barrera.  Good luck in Arizona, even though I wish you would have chosen Sam Houston State University instead.