Teen baseball player brings faith to the plate

By Ambria Hammel | Nov. 17, 2009 | The Catholic Sun 

SUN LAKES — St. Steven parishioners had extra reason to be excited for America’s favorite pastime last month — and it had nothing to do with the World Series.

It had to do with the patron saint of athletes and one of their young parishioners.

James Ziegler was one of 18 players nationwide to play on USA Baseball’s 14U Team during the Pan American championships Oct. 17-24. The team went undefeated in Ecuador against six Central and South American countries, leaving their first four opponents scoreless and bringing home their fifth gold medal since the competition opened to 14-year-olds.

Ziegler began swinging the bat at T-ball around age 4 and has long brought his faith to the plate. Once he joined Little League, Ziegler started tapping home plate in the sign of the cross before every pitch.

While fans may see it as a nervous twitch or superstitious move, Ziegler sees it differently.

“I do it to let me know that God is always with me,” Ziegler told some 70 peers Nov. 8 in a testimony for the parish youth ministry.

Ziegler knows some athletes make the sign of the cross with their hands, but this first baseman and left-handed pitcher decided long ago to do a little “change up.” That habit stuck.

And now, so does wearing his St. Sebastian medallion. The parish presented it to him alongside a banner full of prayers and other well wishes before final training and tryouts in Florida last month.

“It really touched my heart when I got that because I knew everyone here was supporting me,” Ziegler said, noting that it boosted his self-confidence.

The gift also reinforced his faith as Ziegler chose St. Sebastian for his confirmation name a few years ago.

He hit a homerun during the first game against Nicaragua, driving in three runs. During the entire series in Ecuador, Ziegler had three hits in 11 at-bats, driving in four runs.

His mother, Pam, said she is most proud of her only son’s sportsmanship. She has never known him to have down moments.

“Even if he had a bad game, he’s done and over with it,” she said of her oldest child.

Pam wasn’t able to travel with her son, but could tell from the two-minute phone updates each day that it was also a growing experience.

During the 11-day trip, Ziegler lived with an inadequate sewer system and without hot water. He also noticed the poorer condition of his opponents’ equipment.

“It made me realize we have a lot more,” Ziegler said.

The Pan American games weren’t his first time in advanced play. Ziegler’s team made it to the U.S. semifinals of the Little League World Series in 2007.

Mike Potter, one of three parent coordinators of St. Steven’s fledgling youth ministry, isn’t surprised by Ziegler’s success.

He remembers Ziegler in a friendly competition with his son in fifth grade. They always worked to improve their game.

Potter admires Ziegler’s off-the-field game too. He said Ziegler is always eager to share and volunteer, a rarity for teenage boys. Potter handpicked the freshman to serve as a core leader for the youth ministry this year.

“What a witness he is to so many people,” said Jim Gall, the parish’s coordinator of adult faith formation, who also helps with the youth ministry.

He described Ziegler as respectful and comfortable with his faith.

Ziegler jumped to be among the first non-adult altar servers nearly two years ago when parish demographics started getting younger. He now trains the rookies.