Many Yeshivah of Flatbush graduates will move on to some of the most prestigious institutes of higher learning this country has to offer. But it is rare when one of those students looks to excel in more than just the academic arena at the next level. Senior Ralph Navarro is one such student.
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| Flatbush Senior Ralph Navarro |
Next year, in addition to handling a normal Freshman course load at New York University’s College of Arts and Sciences, Navarro will bring his athletic talents to the baseball diamond at NYU. Having led the Falcon baseball team to the school’s second MYHSAL championship ever last May by holding perennial League power SAR scoreless in a 1-0 gem of a pitching performance on the largest stage one could perform for Flatbush, Navarro impressed the baseball coaches at NYU enough to be invited to join the team this coming Fall semester.
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| Ralph Navarro in action at 2013 MYHSAL Baseball Championships, TD Bank Park, Somerset, NJ |
Even though Navarro and his Falcon teammates are busy getting ready for the start of the 2014 season, the southpaw starting pitcher had these thoughts about the prospect of playing baseball at the next level: “I am very excited! I’m confident I will succeed. I don’t know what to expect; I don’t know how good the team is going to be. But, I’m happy it’s going to be all freshmen. I won’t be sitting on the bench like I did my first season at Flatbush. [Head Coach Douglas Kimbler]scouted players, he went to California and elsewhere to recruit. We may not win very much, but I hope to get an opportunity to play right from the start.”
In speaking with new NYU Head Baseball Coach Douglas Kimbler, the coach offered the following views on NYU’s newest varsity program and Navarro’s projections as a member of his team at NYU: “We are bringing in 29 freshmen, with no expectations on them; the expectations are all on the coaching staff to compete at the highest level from day one. I am very excited about the prospects for this freshman class, having been able to recruit from places as far away as California, Texas and Carolina as well as within the local New York metropolitan community. We are bringing in players who will compete and try to win this first year. While I cannot [by NCAA regulations] comment on players not yet in attendance at the school, with nine positions on the field up for grabs, our situation will provide for very healthy competition at every position. Of course, you can never have enough pitching, and you can never have enough left-handed pitching!”
NYU competes as a member of the University Athletic Association, a NCAA Division III league that in addition to NYU includes the following schools: Brandeis University, Carnegie Mellon University, Case Western Reserve University, Emory University, University of Chicago, University of Rochester and Washington University of St. Louis. Members of the UAA share the belief that academic excellence and athletic excellence are not mutually exclusive. Athletic programs should not only complement the academic experience, but should also reflect the quality of the academic environment within which they exist.
Nest Notes:
Ralph Navarro and his Falcon teammates will open the 2014 campaign on Tuesday, April 29 at 6:00 pm with a game against Ramaz at Richmond County Bank Park in Staten Island, NY, home of the Staten Island Yankees. In addition to their full MYHSAL slate, the team will also travel to Columbus, OH to take part in the prestigious Columbus Baseball Invitational from May 18-20.