Jimenez tranforms into Leadership Award winner
Years ago, Chapman Baseballs' Head Coach Scott Laverty coined the program's definition of what it means to be a leader, "to help somebody get better."
Senior catcher Joe Jimenez is living proof that leaders are made, not born.
"I have seen a whole 180 degree change in this leadership mentality," Laverty exclaimed. "Joe came in very confident in himself as a player but not very outspoken. He is such a good person, a good teammate, not wanting to step on people's toes. I have seen him develop over the last four years to be the leader he is today, especially with the National Championship team, he is our MVP. If we don't have him behind the plate, then our pitchers aren't doing what they are capable of doing. He just led that group."
The first thing Jimenez gravitated towards when talking about his evolution as a Panther was the impact that a past teammate has had on his career and mentality.
"From the time I got to Chapman and have been a member of this team, the team has gone through some amazing culture changes, which I believe can really be attributed to former player, Jared Love," Jimenez said. "To be able to continue the culture he built has been no easy task. Constantly working with the other leaders to try to help our team work better together, help individuals get better, and have a plan for potential problems that could come up was time consuming, but the results from last year made it all worth it."
The Panthers were the 2019 NCAA Division III National Champions. Jimenez was a College World Series All-Tournament Team selection and posted a .991 fielding percentage, a .302 average and had two career-highs with 12 stolen bases and 21 RBI's.
"It was the most fun I have ever had on a baseball field," he stated while describing catching one of the best Division III pitching staffs in the nation. "We had three legitimate starters who would go seven to eight innings with close to 10 strikeouts a game and then you close the game with [Nick] Garcia who is throwing close to 100 miles per hour. At the Division III level, that's unheard of."
When asked what his motivator's were in his evolution to become the leader he is today, Jimenez touched on his position and how, as the catcher, you are tasked with improving the pitcher as well as directing traffic around the field.
"I really believe [being a team leader] is mostly based on my position. I wouldn't say it is something that necessarily came naturally either - I'm naturally a pretty shy person. It's something [Pitching Coach Dave Edwards] and [Head Coach Scott Laverty] have helped me develop over the years."
Laverty touched on Jimenez's transformation and pointed out how this has garnered the respect of his teammates. "All of his teammates that have been around for three or four years saw the shy and assuming Joe. He was still a great ballplayer and did things for us but to see him transform like that and take on those responsibilities, he felt that the team was important enough to do that."
Jimenez placed the team at the forefront of his college career and this prioritization crafted him into the friend and player he remains to this day.
"[I was] Constantly putting this team before anything else in my life for four years," Jimenez said. "Helping guys reach their potential and pushing them on a consistent basis each and every day. I would think about this team more than I would think about school or other aspects of my life."
When you place a group of people, a sport, or organization before anything else in your life, it is hard to imagine the mental and physical impact that occurs when that gets ripped away from you without warning.
"I love all the guys I have played with here at Chapman. I will never forget any of them, and so many of them will be my best friends for the rest of my life," Jimenez exclaimed. "That's what makes it hard to leave and hard that it had to end the way that it did. I just wanted to have another amazing season with my best friends….I have to constantly remind myself how grateful I am that my close friends and family are healthy. I am so thankful for all the health care workers out there who are putting their lives on the line fighting the virus."
Laverty believed the 2020 team had the chance for back-to-back championships. He explained how the team was off to a great start and were not yet a shell of what they could have become. Despite the disappointment he believes that "what has happened with the cancellations of seasons and schools going online is the right thing to do. The disappointment has a little bit less of a sting knowing that this is a serious issue that the rest of the world is dealing with."
Despite the challenges that 2020 has presented, Jimenez, Laverty, and the rest of the team are setting the tone for hope.
"This fosters a hope for next year, of getting out there," Laverty said. "It will be fun to be defending National Champions again starting a second year, nobody can say that has ever happened. Now turn to the bright side of things and look at the positives."
Jimenez has big plans for the future but does not want his gratitude for his past experiences at Chapman to go unnoticed.
"I'm hoping to have the opportunity to play professional baseball after this, so maybe it won't be the end of my baseball career," Jimenez explained. "But if it is, I can't thank the Chapman Athletic Department and Chapman Baseball for all they've done to truly make these last four years special. Nothing like going out on top. 2019 (and 2020?) National Champions."
By Chloe DeVries
Sports Information Assistant
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