Nicholas Ippolito '13 Recruiting Profile

My name is Nick Ippolito. I am 5’9” and weigh 155lbs. As a freshman and sophomore, I participated as a varsity athlete in Cross-Country and Wrestling. As a junior I chose to play on the varsity Water Polo team to strengthen my arm and condition my upper body for the upcoming baseball season. Academically, I qualified as an Academic All-Conference Athlete (3.5 GPA or higher as a varsity athlete) for each sport I participated in. I currently hold a 3.72 GPA. I also was voted by the teaching staff as the Outstanding Citizen for the Class of 2013 my freshman year (1 out of over 600 students.)

My true love has always been Baseball.  While at Thomas Downey High School in Modesto, California  I was a middle infielder and starting pitcher and I am about to begin my senior year of baseball. I played Varsity as a sophomore and started as their 2^nd baseman and also came in as their closer. My batting average for the regular season was .333 and my ERA for the regular season was 0.00 after pitching 8.2 innings of conference games. My team made it to the division 1 Sac-Joaquin Section Playoffs and we played at UOP. I started at 2^nd base in the playoffs and went 2 for 3 with two singles and a run scored. As a sophomore in high school, I was called in to relieve the starter and did this often during the season. I love being in control of the game and thrive under pressure. Since I’m not as big as other players off the field, being on the field and on the mound makes me feel like I’m 6’3", 200 lbs. I am now at Oakdale High School in my home town and am a senior.  I am expected to be their starting pitcher and starting shortstop. 

Ever since I was 2 years old, I’ve always wanted to play baseball. My first words were “hey batter, batter!” I started playing travel ball when I was ten years old as the starting shortstop on a team called “NeverDead”. We traveled to Arizona to play in a Nationial tournament where we took 3^rd. After a year with them, I went on to play with the “Oakdale Colts” where we traveled to Arizona, Nevada, and also Cooperstown, New York. In Cooperstown, New York, we played in a tournament called the “Tournament of Champions”. In New York, there were 97 teams participating in the “Tournament of Champions” and we placed 23^rd overall. This was definitely the highlight of my life and such a great experience to bond with my teammates.  After that tournament the “Oakdale Colts” finally ended. I had played with them for 3 years as their starting shortstop and pitcher. 

Since 8th grade, I played for a program called “CenCal Baseball” (now called NorCal-Valley) and learned a lot of technique and footwork drills as their starting infielder. The owner of the program, Mike McNeil, is the head coach for a San Francisco Giants scout team and was the head coach for Cal State Stanislaus. He also was my coach for the 15U CenCal team. He taught me the fundamentals of being a pitcher and they really helped with my pitching.  We won many 15U tournaments and I am proud that I was a part of that team.  Also, when I played for CenCal Baseball, there was a coach named Erik Jue who played at Cal State Stanislaus as an infielder. He began to teach me the foot work of being a middle infielder and helped me with getting around the ball to throw to first and how to release the ball quicker. I played for them for 2 years as their starting shortstop and relief pitcher. I later headed to a team called the “Modesto Blue Jays”. We stayed in the Central Valley area and didn’t play too far from my home in Oakdale. The Blue Jays played in many 18/19U tournaments and placed in or won most of them. I started as their second baseman and was their starting pitcher, later on I became their closer. I have always loved being brought in under pressure situations. When I was younger, I was always one of the smallest players on the field. Many, many times, I would be brought in to close with the game on the line and the largest player at bat.  I could hear the opposing players laughing at me and taunting me because of my size. But I would always smile inside and pitch and more often than not, I would strike the batter out and end the game! I love being under pressure during those moments when it’s the last inning, 2 outs, bases loaded, full count and up by one run. If I give up a walk, a hit, hit the batter, or throw the ball away, then they tie it or even worse, win the game because of my mistake. I feel so confident that none of that will happen and that no one can touch me. I am invincible. That is what I love.

My goal as a baseball player is to work the hardest and sprint on and off the field whether I am playing at a game in front of 20 people or playing at a game where there are thousands of people there to watch me. Even if I am not in the game, my head should and I should be learning from the other players on the field. I learned from my coach, Mike McNeil that you never know who is watching you play. If you are playing at a field in the middle of nowhere then expect a Major League scout to be timing how fast you run to first or looking at how good you move your feet to approach a ground ball hit to you. You should always perform as if someone is watching you play. My main drive for performing at the best of my abilities is to honor God. I’m playing for Him and at the highest level I can. He gave me my gift to play baseball and I need to honor what He has given me. I just keep my head down and play the game. You will never catch me talking back to an umpire or to a coach. I will listen and respect the coach/coaches on and off the field. I am a very quick learner and want to learn as much as I can. 

I am open to play anywhere. What I am looking for is a coach that is encouraging and one that I can respect not only as a coach but also as a person. Places that I’ve looked at are in California, Florida, Arizona, and all of the east coast. I have grown up in Oakdale, California and want to get out for an adventure away from home. My oldest brother, Dan (25), graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut where he was recruited for wrestling. He wrestled there for four years and became the captain of the team.  My other brother, Matt (23), is attending California Baptist University also on a wrestling scholarship. I'm excited to follow in my brothers' footsteps and go away to a four-year college and venture out on my own.

I honestly don’t care if the school is big or small. I’d be happy to play at whatever college or level. I am a Christian and prefer to go to a Christian college, but I am willing to play anywhere and at the highest level possible. My main concern is to be able to play for a coach with character and someone I can look up to and respect.

I’m still not sure of the exact major I want, but I’m looking into something in the area of engineering or mathematics.

Thank you for taking the time to read my profile and I’m looking forward to hearing if I’m a good match for your baseball program and college.