Cleats, bats, and helmets fill senior Henry Delavergne’s locker. Sports have always been a prominent force in Delavergne’s life. Since age seven, he has played competitive baseball, and he grew watching his older brothers play.
“We would always play baseball in the front yard since I was four,” Delavergne said. “My dad is a baseball enthusiast; he just loves it. I think we were kind of forced into [playing baseball], and then we developed our own love for it.”
Delavergne has been an unstoppable force on the school baseball team during his four years and believes having a relaxed attitude is a key component to success.
“The thing about baseball is you’ve got to have the right mindset for it. You’re going to get out a bunch of times; that’s just kind of the way baseball works,” Delavergne said. “A good hitter gets on [base] three out of 10 times, which is 30 percent. If you don’t have a calm mindset, it’s frustrating. I think sometimes the hardest thing is just being able to keep your cool and know you’re okay.”
This past fall, Delavergne joined the football team for his first season ever.
“I have never played football before until this year. This is my first year,” Delavergne. “I got talked into it because coach Bailey called me soft, and I didn’t like that. He said, ‘Why don’t you play football, then?’ and I was like, ‘I will,’ and then I did.”
Off of the sports fields, Delavergne is the senior class president, in addition to being a Zoo captain.
“I love the announcements and having some extra responsibility. I like that when people want something done, they’ll come to me and ask me to talk to coach Story.”
Coach Ryan Bailey believes Delavergne’s personality sets him apart from other students.
“He is a character. Henry’s always been very hardworking,” Bailey said. “He’s able to pick up things relatively easily. Knowing he was athletic and a good kid, I knew he would be a positive addition to the football team whether it was his playing, his leadership, or spirit.”