True Recruits USA
Dec 27, 20214 min
This player spotlight takes a deep dive into the mind of Jordan Serrano. Much more to this young man than just baseball. Definitely a player to keep on the radar!!
Jordan Serrano, a sophomore outfielder for St. Augustine Prep in Richland, NJ has been locked in this off season with training, speed, strength and conditioning, hitting and throwing. Jordan is setting himself up for a strong High School season this coming spring. He has set high goals for himself, but after talking to Jordan, we would expect nothing less.
It was clear from the start that there is much more to Jordan than just baseball. His views on work ethic, leadership, being a good teammate and competition revealed an inner desire to succeed, but not at the cost of changing who he is and how he treats others.
As we started to get to know Jordan, among other things, we found out what makes him so focused and what he enjoys about the sport of baseball. "My favorite thing about baseball is the competition. Most of the people that are playing at this age want to be there, they are competitive and have similar goals. It is a fight to determine who will reach their goals and who will not." Jordan prides himself on outworking the competition. He has embraced the process of training as he attends daily workouts at ATS in Berlin, NJ (Appenzeller Training Systems).
We asked Jordan who is an athlete that stands out in his mind, has influenced him and why...."Kobe Bryant is my favorite athlete because of his mentality. He did not let anyone stop him from achieving his goals. He was a person that liked to have fun but when the game was on the line, it was go time. That is the mentality and approach that I have. I love to have fun but when it is time to shift gears and do what I need to do to make myself better, I'm locked in." We have talked to players that train and compete with Jordan. Whether it is a player that is older than him, a peer or a younger athlete, Jordan has a humble, confident approach to how he communicates with everyone. It is easy to see why people gravitate towards him as a friend and teammate.
Academics is an important part of what makes Jordan a special student athlete. "My favorite subject in school is Sacred Scripture (Theology). I love learning about God because I believe it is bringing me closer to him. Knowing his endless abilities proves a kind of strength and love inside me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! Philippians 4:13." St. Augustine Prep has a history of successful baseball players, teams and student athletes that move onto college to be successful not only in baseball however in their fields of study as they move into careers.
Wanting to be the best, to reach your goals while also being grounded and humble takes a special person. When we asked Jordan what this means to him, he replied, "To be humble means not to brag about your success...Never acting that you are better and others despite of all of your achievements. To be great, you must think and believe you are the best on the field, in the classroom, in your career, yet to be a good person, being humble means you act in a way were you are approachable and willing to help other succeed. Being humble is mostly not wanting to be recognized for what you do. I believe actions speak louder than words." Truth be told, Jordan wanted to keep our conversation about getting to know him. His athletic ability will speak for itself when the Hermits get going this spring.
Jordan went on to say, "Being a good teammate is not about being the best player on the field. It is about leadership and being a team player. The ability to help others when they don't ask, whether it's about the game or simply about what is going on in their life." Jordan is always pulling for his teammates to succeed. He continues to say, "The ability to help others when they don't ask, whether it's about getting better in baseball or about life, it's just the type of person that I am. I pride myself on reading people and even if they don't want to talk about what is on their mind or may be bothering them, I know they are grateful to have someone just sit by their side in silence, to know they have someone in their corner for them." He states, "Because there is more to me than just baseball, we need to maintain wellbeing, specifically focusing on positive mental health."
Last we spoke about work ethic. Seems fitting that Jordan spoke of Kobe Bryant and then how he describes what work ethic means to him...."Having a good work ethic is very important because it shows the kind of commitment and dedication one may have. Work either is also being on time, having effective communication and just being a great leader to those around you. Having a good work ethic allows you to stay committed to your goals and the focus to know that nothing is going to stop you." That Mamba Mentality is why Jordan feels such a connection with the late Kobe Bryant.
True Recruits - New Jersey