We are excited to welcome professional baseball player, Blake Treinen, to our school to speak to our Upper School students at Exordium on January 13th. Blake is the husband of Katie Treinen, who previously coached our girls basketball teams.
To understand why we wanted to have Blake speak, just read this excerpt from The Washington Post:
Washington Nationals’ Blake Treinen takes slow road to throwing fastballs in majors
By Adam Kilgore June 2, 2014
Blake Treinen walked into the baseball office at the University of Arkansas and asked to speak with Coach Dave Van Horn. He’s not in today, the secretary told Treinen. Out recruiting. Treinen had come this far, from a map-dot town in eastern Kansas, and he only wanted a chance. He replied he could wait for an assistant instead. Minutes after Treinen took a seat, Van Horn walked past the waiting room and into his office.
“Wasn’t that him?” Treinen asked.
“No,” the secretary said. “That wasn’t him.”
Treinen knew it was.
Still, he stayed. Another few minutes passed, and an assistant emerged. He knew Treinen’s history, how he had thrown 79-mph fastballs for his small-town Kansas high school, how he pitched on the junior varsity at an NAIA college, how he now wanted to try out as a walk-on at a Southeastern Conference power.
“If we let you try out,” the assistant told Treinen, “we’d have to let the whole state of Arkansas try out.”
Six years have passed since Treinen walked out of the office. Last weekend, he sat in the visitors dugout at PNC Park and laughed at what has happened since. Currently a rotation replacement for Gio Gonzalez, Treinen throws 98-mph sinking fastballs for the Washington Nationals. Treinen, 25, took a winding path to the major leagues from Osage City, Kan., through three colleges and countless roadblocks, aided by a blend of small-town connections, genetic fortune, relentless work, unwavering determination and unshakable belief.
“It’s an amazing story,” his college coach said. “I think Disney could make a movie on it in 10 years.”
KEEP READING BLAKE’S STORY…
PHOTO: Jun 7, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Blake Treinen (64) throws the ball in the 1st inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Liu-USA TODAY Sports
