API News

Maryland Middle School Combine

The first ever Maryland Middle School Combine was an enormous success. The MMSC was the brain child of Donnie English after he saw there was a disconnect between middle school football players and high school coaches. A native of Ohio, where high school football coaches are involved down to the pee-wee level, Coach English decided something needed to be done to bridge the gap. He contacted API for help in organizing and with athletic skills instruction, Stephen Vaught, President and Founder of API jumped at the chance to get involved in this novel idea. API became the official sponsor of the MMSC and came out all 4 days free of charge and provided athletic skills instruction and a SPARQ rating for all 140 plus participants of the combine. On top of the football and athletic skills instruction the student-athletes received, they had several guest speakers that provided some incite to the world of high school football. Mike Clay of St. Frances Academy, Mike Whittles of Archbishop Spalding High School, Ken Lucas of Annapolis Area Christian School, and Bill McGregor coach for DeMatha High School just to name a few of the 14 local area high school coaches who spoke. All of the guest speakers spoke very little about football. The importance of education, character, teamwork and hard work were among the main topics of discussion. API is very proud and honored to have been given the opportunity to participate with inception of the MMSC program and is looking forward to participating in the MMSC for many years to come. For more information on the MMSC visit:

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/vault/cgi-bin/gazette/view/2008G/07/05-22.HTM
or
http://www.digitalsports.com/article/type/organization/typeid/44/id/31927.aspx

API Athletes Ready for the Collegiate Level

API is proud to announce that three student athletes in the API family have committed to play lacrosse at the NCAA Division I level. Sean Price, an rising senior at Severna Park, has committed to the United States Naval Academy, Sam Jones, also a rising senior at Severna Park, has committed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and Jason Gonos, a rising senior at St. Mary's, has committed to Harvard University. The API coaching staff wishes these three exceptional young men the best of luck in their upcoming high school season and their future collegiate seasons. API is very proud to have been part of their athletic careers. Your hard work and determination has shown through and taken you to the next level.

API Athlete One Step Closer to Junior Olympic Team

API student-athlete and rising junior at Severna Park, Alex Ramsay recently traveled to Jupiter, Florida with his regional all-star baseball team, MVP, to play in the USA Baseball 16U Championship East on June 20th through the 28th. Because of his performance in the tournament, he was selected for the U16 USA Trial Team, a tryout squad for the USA Junior Olympic team. He was one of 36 players selected for over 140 teams involved in the tournament. Alex will head to Miami, Florida on August 9th to the 16th for the tryouts, in hopes of being selected for the junior Olympic team. If he is selected, he will represent the USA in the COPABEAA Pan American Games, August 22nd to the 31st. Alex went 5 for 12 with two doubles and six walks in seven games at the plate and throw out five runners from behind the plate as catcher. "It was a big relief once I found out I made the team" said Alex speaking of the nerves he felt during the first few games of the tournament. He went on to say "I prepared for this tournament and a chance at making the team like it was business as usual". Playing for his U18 team the Maryland Monarchs and training with API were his main avenues of preparation. API is very proud of Alex and all of his hard work. He has been focused and committed to improving his athletic skills and his effort has obviously paid off. Congratulations Alex and best of luck in Miami. For more on Alex and his success at the tournament visit:

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/07_08-21/HIG