Western's White Enjoys 'Special' Career
By
Tom Markowski
Special for Second Half
May 4, 2016
WALLED LAKE – Seeking a higher level of performance, many high school athletes have channeled their energy to one sport.
Many refer to this concentration as specialization – and Cody White, for one, isn’t buying it.
White, a junior at Walled Lake Western, is a three-sport athlete and he loves every minute of it. He plays basketball during the winter, baseball in the spring and football in the fall. During the summer he competes in AAU basketball, travel baseball, 7-on-7 football games with his Western teammates, and he participates in a few summer football camps.
White has played these same sports all throughout high school. His freshman year he competed in track and field, along with baseball. White hasn’t ruled out returning to track and field, in addition to baseball, as a senior – but this season he’s sticking with just baseball.
It’s a hectic schedule but, again, White wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I couldn’t see myself not competing in those sports,” he said. “I love them so much. I want to finish my senior year playing all three.”
White estimates that he’ll have two days off, away from sports, in June. In July he’ll take a week off, between his summer baseball team schedule ending and the start of football practice.
There’s no question White is driven, but it’s more than that. In some high schools, and with some coaches, playing multiple sports can be a challenge. There are some coaches who would prefer the students to play one sport and only one sport.
According to Western football coach Mike Zdebski, that isn’t the case at his school.
“We encourage them to play more than one sport,” Zdebski said. “For one, we want them to get their money’s worth. We have a pay-to-play policy of $425. You play one sport and it costs $425. You play three sports and it costs the same. And, two, playing other sports helps them develop other skills. In basketball you create space. In baseball you chase fly balls, and that helps with depth perception. Besides you get to work with other coaches and other teams.
“We’re lifting weights during the summer. If a kid is playing summer baseball or AAU basketball, if they have time they can come by and lift weights. And what we always tell them, if you’re tired let us know. You can take a break.”
Zdebski – whose team finished 12-1 last fall – was quick to point out some excellent athletes in the past, like former Kansas City Royals outfielder/Oakland Raiders running back Bo Jackson, who were multiple-sport athletes. And, more recently, there’s Luke Glendenning of the Detroit Red Wings. Glendenning was an all-state running back at East Grand Rapids.
When his high school career is done, White will play football in college. Two months ago he committed to sign with Michigan State this winter. At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, White played receiver, defensive back and also returned kicks last fall. He played a big role in Western’s run to the Division 2 Semifinals.
During baseball season, White pitches and plays middle infield and right field. He plays the wing and shooting guard in basketball.
His interest in playing a variety of sports came at an early age and, as is the case with most children, a family member was the one who introduced White to athletics. Former NFL player and Detroit Lions executive Sheldon White is his father, but the first sport White played, at age 3, was baseball. Two years later he began playing football and basketball.
Sheldon White also played three sports at his high school in Dayton, Ohio, (Meadowdale High) and helps his son manage his busy schedule, particularly during the offseason.
“Growing up was a little different (for me) than the usual kid,” Cody White said. “Going to Lions games and just being around football all the time. I think I love the game more because I was around it so much.
“But I think playing three sports helped me, too. The twisting of your hips in baseball, when you swing the bat, you’re using different muscles. And all the jumping you do in basketball. You have to move in tight spaces.
“With football, you’re with the football guys. By doing all three you meet different people.”
Playing multiple sports has definitely been the right road for White to follow. And his busy schedule hasn’t hindered his work in the classroom.
White has a 3.54 grade-point average pending his grades for this semester.
Tom Markowski is a columnist and directs website coverage for the State Champs! Sports Network. He previously covered primarily high school sports for the The Detroit News from 1984-2014, focusing on the Detroit area and contributing to statewide coverage of football and basketball. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Cody White (right) runs away from a Midland Dow defender during their Regional Final this fall. (Middle) White works for a shot against Milford. (Photos by Teresa Presty.)
Savoring Every Moment, Meyers Helping North Muskegon Extend Memorable Run
By
Tom Kendra
Special for MHSAA.com
May 29, 2024
Ben Meyers is cherishing every second of his senior baseball season – because he has learned, on several occasions, how quickly everything can be taken away.
Meyers is the leader of Division 3 top-ranked North Muskegon, which already has eclipsed the 30-win plateau heading into this weekend’s District tournament.
“I think we’re in a really good spot,” said Meyers after a rare loss, 3-1, on May 23 against neighboring rival Muskegon Reeths-Puffer.
“We are playing some good teams before Districts to help get us ready. Everyone is trying to get ready and get focused to make a run.”
Meyers, who splits time between the critical positions of catcher and shortstop, is either first or second on the team in almost every statistical category – notably with a .425 batting average, 48 hits, 40 RBIs, 49 runs and a sparkling .980 fielding percentage.
His leadership skills are even more important as one of just four seniors for the young Norsemen, who start three juniors and four sophomores.
North Muskegon, which is 30-5 and 12-0 against West Michigan Conference opponents (NM has won 35 consecutive WMC games), opens District play against Kent City on Saturday at Montague.
Meyers was in a similar leadership role for the North Muskegon football team this fall, before breaking his fibula on the second play from scrimmage during the third game of the season against Mason County Central.
Meyers worked tirelessly, and his team kept winning, giving him the chance to get back on the field for the Division 7 Regional Final against Pewamo-Westphalia, where he started on defense and made a slew of tackles and even recovered a fumble – before the unthinkable happened in the third quarter.
The outside linebacker bit on a play-action pass and when he planted his foot, he heard a familiar pop from the same leg and knew immediately his football comeback was over.
North Muskegon won a thriller over P-W that day, but Meyers was sidelined and unable to help his team the following week as its playoff run ended with a 32-21 loss to Menominee in the Division 7 Semifinals.
“Right when that second injury happened, I knew that basketball was done, too, but I was determined to get healthy and make the most of baseball season,” explained Meyers, whose junior brother, Charlie Meyers, is also a standout three-sport athlete. “It’s made me extra focused, for sure. I know I can’t take a single game or a single play for granted.”
Meyers missed his entire senior basketball season – another memorable campaign as NM followed up an undefeated football regular season with a 20-0 basketball regular season, before falling to P-W in a Division 3 Regional Semifinal.
Now healthy, Meyers – who has committed to play baseball at Davenport University in Grand Rapids – would love to cap off an already record-breaking year for North Muskegon sports with a run to the Baseball Finals at Michigan State University’s McLane Stadium. NM advanced to the Regional Finals last spring before losing to Lansing Catholic.
Garret Moyer, in his third year as North Muskegon’s head coach, normally pencils Meyers into the third spot in the batting order, but has at times slotted him first or second because of his versatility.
“As good of a player as Ben is, he is an even better teammate,” said Moyer, who is assisted by Collin Houseman and Ryan Mieler. “He is team-first in everything he does. Everybody in our program looks up to him.”
Meyers is especially adept at handling NM’s deep pitching staff. The Norse have a pair of aces in senior Ryan Delora (committed to Lansing Community College) and sophomore Logan Slimko, but also a slew of capable arms behind them – notably Jaxon Bean, Ace Anderson and Kylan Nielsen.
While Meyers is moving up the all-time state rankings in career hits and RBIs, perhaps his most impressive skill is stealing bases. Meyers has a team-high 34 stolen bases this season and more than 100 for his career – an unheard-of number for a catcher.
“I’m not that fast, but my secret is knowing how to get a good jump,” said Meyers, who noted that playing catcher helps him with that.
The son of Dan Meyers and Katie Brewer, he also finds time to work as a field technician at Trace Analytical and carries a 3.97 GPA. He plans to major in supply chain management at Davenport.
North Muskegon’s outstanding season is being played out against the backdrop of a small-town turf war between the school’s soccer and baseball programs. NM’s James B. Johnson Baseball Field (affectionately known as “The Shipyard”) was razed this offseason in favor of new soccer fields, with final plans for a new baseball stadium still in the works.
In the meantime, the Norsemen have played all of their 35 games on the road, utilizing Muskegon Community College, historic Marsh Field, Fruitland Field, Softball World and other locations for games and practices.
Meyers acknowledges that the loss of their home field was a big issue for much of the season but, at this point, the team is focused on other things – namely, having fun playing as many games as possible together.
And he said the team is now using the lack of a home field as a mental motivator.
“We’ve been driving all over for practices and games for a couple of months now,” said Meyers. “We’re used to it. I mean, what team is more ready for the state tournament and all of the travel than us?”
Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.
PHOTOS (Top) North Muskegon’s Ben Meyers talks with one of his coaches while standing on third base. (Middle) Meyers, playing shortstop, throws to first base. (Photos courtesy of the Local Sports Journal.)