As he approached the batter’s box, one fan clapped a little more enthusiastically than he did for the other Athletics’ players. On the first day of March, Sogard stepped to the plate for an inter-squad scrimmage at Hohokam Stadium. “It’s neat to go back out there and be a part with them.” They helped me a lot while I was there,” Sogard said. But the Thunderbird alumnus enjoys taking time to work with the school and its next hopeful generation of baseball players. With 162 games slated for each major league season, Sogard certainly has a busy schedule. “And obviously him being the one in the big leagues, we wanted to do that for him.” “He’s just about as regular guy as you can be and super humble and a great role model for the kids,” Klavitter said. To Klavitter, it was only right to properly honor a player deserving of such respect. Klavitter also played a hand in a recent ceremony that officially retired Sogard’s high school number. When varsity coach Clay Klavitter was first hired at Thunderbird, he made it a point to reach out to Sogard to renew the relationship between school and star. “He really likes to give back to us and we greatly appreciate that.” “Every year he’s given us new cleats, new batting gloves, new bats, everything,” said Brett Budde, a current Thunderbird varsity player. On top of that, Sogard also donates equipment to the current varsity team. He volunteers as a guest instructor for the “Future Thunderbird Chiefs Camp,” a clinic that teaches basic fundamentals to youth baseball players in fourth through eighth grades. It’s not necessarily due to his accomplishments on the diamond, but how he chooses to spend his time off the field.Įach year, Sogard remains involved with his high school alma mater. It’s easy to see why Sogard has such a loyal fan base. “Everyone who has supported me coming up, I always see them out at the games,” Sogard said. “It’s neat to have that support and know the fans, know the ASU fans, know the high school fans that have known me along the way and given me that support along the way.” The second baseman, who lives in the Valley during the offseason, is appreciative of the recognition he receives each year from friends and family who have followed him from the beginning. Sogard, who graduated from Thunderbird High School in 2004 and entered the draft from Arizona State in 2007, has returned to Mesa for his seventh season of Oakland Athletics spring training. For Eric Sogard, he can feel the love emanating from the community that raised him. Subscribe to today.With Cactus League spring training in full swing Valley residents find joy in the return of “America’s pastime” to their daily lives.īut no joy comes greater than seeing one of your own return for another season of big league baseball. Reach breaking news reporter Amaris Encinas at or on Twitter local journalism. Principal Latham thanked the Phoenix Police Department for their "assistance in the matter" and to parents for their continued "support of our school and our community," because "student and staff safety remain our top priority at Thunderbird High School."Īuthorities have not released additional information at this time.Ī similar incident occurred in Surprise Tuesday afternoon which prompted the lockdown of one high school and one middle school campus however, no weapon was located. The school will also respond with appropriate disciplinary action pending the outcome of the investigation, Latham said. The student will face charges related to possession of a firearm on school campus after he is booked into the juvenile court center, Krynsky said. The gun was located, and the student was taken into custody. The student dumped the gun after a brief chase ensued. Phoenix police received reports of a gun on school grounds at approximately 11:35 a.m., according to department spokesperson Sgt. Philip Krynsky. The administrator noticed what appeared to be a gun in the student's hand as he ran from the bathroom to the fence. He jumped over a fence to get off campus, Latham said. No injuries were reported.Īn administrator had been investigating a report of someone vaping in a bathroom on campus, according to Thunderbird High School principal Jason Latham.Īs the administrator began to talk to students, one male student became especially nervous and ran away. A student was taken into custody after they were spotted with a gun at Thunderbird High School in Phoenix Tuesday morning.
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