CALL TO ARMS
Notre Dame pitcher Steven Graver on his decision to attend Army West Point »
At a time when many high school student-athletes are worried about what today will bring, much less tomorrow, Steven Graver is one who can rise with a smile on his face, a glimmer of hope in his eyes and the future in his sights.
When the troubles with COVID-19 began in the United States in March, the Notre Dame High senior had completed his final basketball campaign and was preparing to take the mound for the Irish’s baseball team. But he had yet to solidify his college plans.
Graver knew where he wanted to go, but, like so many others, he had not heard yet.
Then shutdowns, stay-at-home orders and isolation began because of the pandemic.
You could not blame a kid — or a grown-up, for that matter — for becoming a little antsy.
Graver stood tall above it all. Of course, that is not hard for a young man who is listed at 6-foot-7, but anyone who has seen him duck to leave the Irish locker room believes he’s probably closer to 6-8 or 6-9.
Graver had reason to hold his head high when he recently found out that he was approved by admissions to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point.
He will be the second player in as many years from head coach Joe Drulis’ ND squad to head to Army-West Point after 2019 Trentonian All-CVC Player of the Year Robbie Buecker got the call to join head coach Jim Foster’s Black Knights last season.
“When the opportunity arose to attend a school like West Point, it was hard to turn down,” Graver said. “After talking to the coaches and players, I knew it was a place that would suit me well. There is no better way to prepare yourself for life than to attend West Point.”
It did not hurt that Buecker is already there, and Graver’s friend, Sam Ruta, was also accepted into the program. Ruta is a Pennsbury High senior who was recently selected as a high honorable mention Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All-American. Yardley, Pa.-resident Ruta is a second team pick in the Atlantic Region, while Graver, who also lives in Yardley, is an honorable mention Atlantic Region selection.
“Being able to hear from Robbie, someone who was going through the toughest year at West Point, and hearing what you actually do and what to expect, helped me decide that West Point was the right place,” Graver said. “Also knowing that I will have someone who has known me for the past four years provides reassurance that if I need help I know someone who can help me.”
Then there was Graver’s older brother, Jarrad. At 6-foot-6, Jarrad Graver is another long and lean young man, plus a 2016 Notre Dame High grad who headed to Alvernia University after completing his own fine pitching career with the Irish.
“Jarrad went to Alvernia and played one year there,” Drulis said. “Jarrad did well there, but wanted to serve our country. He is enlisted in the U.S. Army and was training at Fort Benning, Ga.”
“My brother currently being in the Army gave me a little insight into what life would be like after West Point,” Steven Graver said. “This helped me decide that this is what I wanted to do and also allowed me to think about what I would want to do in the Army.”
Graver and all high school seniors have had plenty of time the last three weeks to ponder their futures. He’s one of the lucky ones because he had an idea where he wanted to go and was just waiting to hear. Others may not even have been that far along in the process, leaving one to think colleges will have to be more lenient with their usual May 1 decision deadline during these difficult times.
“For the last two weeks, we have been doing online schooling, which can be a struggle as it is a lot of self-teaching, and it is very easy to be distracted when you don’t have that human-to-human contact you are accustomed to,” Graver said. “Staying in touch with friends and finding ways to stay in shape help to ease the current situation.”
That off-the-field dedication comes as no surprise to Drulis and his coaching staff.
“Steven is a team player. He puts the work in to prepare himself for the season and each game,” Drulis said. “He is a silent leader, but he leads by example. When Coach Bob Reilly and Coach Charlie Battis put Steven and the other pitchers through conditioning, Steven is giving 100 percent. The younger players see this and are pushed to do their best.
“Steven looks quiet and laid back, but he has that killer instinct to go out and compete every pitch, every inning and every game. He’s like a barracuda. Silent, quiet, but a fierce competitor.”
The goal for “The Barracuda” and the rest of the student-athletes living through the coronavirus uncertainties is to be ready to get back out there once the allclear is given and everyone can return to school and work.
“This is the first time many of us have experienced something like this and just not knowing when the situation will end is hard,” Graver said. “It seems that everyday you hear something different about when this will be over. Hopefully, everyone will stay well, and we can come together and celebrate.”
His hope is that celebration will begin at Father John D’Onofrio Field before the school year lets out. If not, “The Barracuda” will have to quickly prepare to take the next step.
“This summer I will be doing the sixweek training that all incoming freshmen at West Point must do before entering the academic year,” Graver said. “This training starts the first week of July.”
Buecker went through that whirlwind a year ago. After he (8-0) and Steven Graver (7-0) pitched ND to a 24-2 season, Buecker spent June helping the Lawrence American Legion Post 414 baseball team become a State Final 8 contender, throwing a perfect game with 14 strikeouts in his final outing before being whisked off to Beast Barracks.
Right now, it is unclear when baseball at any level will continue this year. Whenever it does, Graver, the incoming West Point cadet, will be ready to attack it head on — like “The Barracuda” he has become.