Column: For Notre Dame’s Jack Gurevitch, baseball is all fun and games

Jack Gurevitch of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame poses for a photo in the dugout.
Jack Gurevitch of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame Excessive is a prime hitter who makes positive he’s having enjoyable each recreation.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Occasions)

Image somewhat child consuming an ice cream cone because it spills onto his face, arms, shirt. Everybody watching is smiling and laughing whereas having fun with the leisure. That’s how first baseman Jack Gurevitch performs baseball.

He acts like a child let unfastened in a sweet retailer, all the time having fun with — baseball on this case — and having enjoyable. His character is contagious and attracts the eye of teammates, opponents and followers.

“I’m a really talkative man,” mentioned Gurevitch, a senior first baseman and pitcher for Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. “I've a variety of character and like to specific it. My mother, for my entire life, has informed me, ‘If you happen to’re not having enjoyable, why are you doing it?’ I all the time attempt to make the sport enjoyable.”

In 4 years at Notre Dame, Gurevitch has been the hitter pitchers least wish to face.

“When he hits the ball, it sounds otherwise,” coach Tom Dill mentioned. “In the event that they get two strikes on him, it’s not over. He can hit something.”

Gurevitch, who has dedicated to the College of San Diego, has such an outgoing character that he can have a operating dialog with a runner at first. Throughout a three-game collection in opposition to Studio Metropolis Harvard-Westlake wherein he hit two house runs, he was speaking with assistant coach Junior Brignac, his former youth coach, and Wolverines outfielder Andrew Citron, a former youth teammate.

“Jack all the time talks to us,” Citron mentioned. “He’s positively an outgoing child.”

Whereas operating to first after hitting a floor ball in opposition to Harvard-Westlake, Gurevitch tripped over the bag and fell on his face. Followers and gamers laughed. However they hadn’t seen the funniest second but.

Gurevitch all of the sudden popped up like he was doing a exercise within the gymnasium, from his chest, then to his ft. It was a transfer Dwayne Johnson would have applauded.

“It was very Jack to do this,” Citron mentioned. “Everybody laughed.”

“I fell over and tried to make the scenario rather less awkward for me,” Gurevitch mentioned. “I jumped up and tried to get my dugout amped up.”

The explanation Gurevitch is appreciated, admired and revered by teammates and opponents alike is his love for baseball.

“It’s a recreation on the finish of the day,” he mentioned. “I all the time attempt to keep in mind to not take it too critically even when it’s my favourite factor on the earth.”

Gurevitch’s capacity to really feel snug within the batter’s field regardless of how huge the second serves as one instance of what can occur when an athlete takes on stress with a constructive angle.

“My greatest factor as a hitter is trusting my eyes and trusting my arms as a result of I’ve been doing it for thus lengthy,” he mentioned. “I really feel should you’re not relaxed and also you’re too tense, you’re not going to do properly. My dad has taught me looseness takes you a great distance.”

Gurevitch helped lead Notre Dame to a 20-7-1 document and a share of the Mission League championship with Harvard-Westlake. He batted .389 with 37 hits and 36 RBIs. Two of his three house runs got here in opposition to the Wolverines.

He might not hit a variety of homers however he positive is aware of easy methods to have a good time them.

“It will get everybody on the squad going,” he mentioned. “After I come into the dugout, it’s like all of us hit one. I don’t assume I’ve ever deliberately tried to hit a house run in my life. I’ve been informed line drives flip into house runs.”

He needs for extra in the course of the Division 1 playoffs that start Friday. Notre Dame opens with a house recreation in opposition to Manhattan Seaside Mira Costa. Then it will likely be on to varsity baseball and maybe professional ball. No matter occurs, Gurevitch couldn’t be happier.

“It’s the very best expertise I’ve ever had,” he mentioned. “I’ve had essentially the most enjoyable on a baseball discipline. These are my pals.”

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