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Home > Archive > Mar 20, 2008

Dixie High’s Alek Phillips
By Nissa Lamb
Starting on the mound for Dixie was a transfer student from Hurricane High School, Alek Phillips. As a senior, this is Alek’s first season with the Flyers, and he is one of four starting pitchers. Alek got involved with baseball when he was 3 years old, playing T-ball, then moved up through minors, majors, Pony League, high school, played American Legion in the summer and competed with a number of tournament teams. He has been participating in the Las Vegas Christmas Camp for the last six years. During the camp, each athlete is judged on hitting, pitching accuracy, and speed on the base pads. Alek won first place in both 2006 and 2007 for his age group.
At the Christmas camp in 2007, Alek garnered the attention of Colorado Rocky scout John Lunken.  Lunken contacted the Coach Shepard at The College of Northeastern in Sterling, Colo., and subsequently, Lunken was invited to try out for the Northeastern team. Alek was awarded a full-tuition scholarship for next year, with $500 for books and a stipend for living expenses. 
Alek’s success has not been hampered by the fact that he has severe hearing loss in both ears; without hearing aids, Alek cannot hear. 
“He has lived with this disability his whole life. It makes his teammates have to really communicate with him,” his father, Mark Phillips, said.
“Alek now wears state-of-the-art hearing aids that help him discern where sound is coming from, so it is more directional, Phillips said. “He’s gotten very good at discerning the coach’s voice, or my voice, and can pick them out of the crowd. The thing that has been impressive for us here at Dixie is the kids understand his disability. The first time Alek stepped onto the mound, Steve Nelson, the shortstop, called the team up to the mound, and they worked out signals.”
“He plays the game hard and plays it the right way,” Shepard said. “That’s really what we like to see. Plus, he’s a good student and a good kid, and that means a lot to us as well.”

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