Following his older brother’s lead, Alex Schrier picked up the game of baseball when he was about four years old.
“My dad always coached him, and we always watched baseball in our family,” says Schrier. “That kind of pushed me to start in the beginning when I was really young.”
The Santa Margarita Catholic High School senior is a starting right-handed pitcher for the Eagles and likes the responsibility that comes with being on the mound.
“What I enjoy about that is that I’m in control of the game, and everyone looks to me to guide the defense,” says the three-year varsity player.
Schrier values competing day in and day out with teammates he considers friends, and could not be more proud to represent his school.
“I’m out there representing the kids at my school and the kids on my team and all of our coaches,” says the 17-year-old. “Showing all the hard work our school puts into us and that they trust us with what they give us, and to go out there and win for them.”
Smaller in stature than most starting pitchers, Schrier is inspired by Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman, and uses Stroman’s big league success to help visualize his own.
“To overcome that challenge, I’ve had to work harder than some other guys and keep the mindset that just because they’re bigger than me, it doesn’t mean they’re better than me,” says Schrier
Santa Margarita head baseball coach, Chris Malec, knows he can expect Schrier to show up each day with the energy to lead and the compete level to win.
“Everyday Alex brings an infectious passion and desire to get better,” says Malec. “You can see it rub off on the other student athletes, not only from his example, but in how he takes younger players under his wing with his guidance and leadership. When he takes the rubber, you know we are going to have a good chance to win. He makes SMCHS baseball better with both physical skill set and his character and compassion for others. He has the unique ability to remain focused and competitive while still showing genuine care and interest in the players around him. We are very blessed to have a student athlete like Alex in our program.”
Schrier’s goal is to play Division I baseball in college, and he is guided by the idea that the hard work he is investing now will pay off in the future. The San Clemente resident continues to be motivated by his original role model, his father, and he knows his faith is a key part of what makes the Eagles a team.
“Our faith at Santa Margarita guides us a lot in our times of struggles as a team because we can unite through God,” says Schrier. “[Prayer] brings us back together as a team through God.”