Wilson Followed Workout Regimen to the Letter

Pitcher Kyle Wilson of Valencia High went from having no scholarship offers his senior year to turning down schools who barely knew his name a couple months ago.

It was tantamount to having no date for the school prom, then having five cheerleaders call a week before the big dance.

When he signs a letter of intent with UCLA today, Wilson will complete a whirlwind recruiting process that provides an intriguing example how a high school athlete can change perceptions with the help of one good performance in front of the right people.

Wilson’s story begins when he was a 5-foot-5 freshman at Valencia. He thought of himself as a hitter, not a pitcher. He hardly resembled a future college prospect. Then he began a growth spurt, sprouting to 6-1 by his junior season.

He seemed ready to become one of Valencia’s best pitchers when he slipped and fell on his driveway a week before his junior season, breaking his left wrist. He didn’t return until midseason and finished with a 1-1 record.

He wanted to participate in the Area Code Games last summer but didn’t receive an invitation. He went 6-1 in summer ball but was hardly satisfied.

“I wasn’t even throwing that well,” he said.

In the fall, he dedicated himself to a rigorous weight training, running and long-toss program.

Scouts clocked him throwing fastballs between 84 and 87 mph. In early January, he had no scholarship offers despite a 3.6 grade-point average and 1130 SAT score.

But something was happening to Wilson’s right arm and body. He was maturing and becoming stronger. In an intrasquad scrimmage, one of Valencia’s coaches clocked his fastball at 90 mph.

“I was kind of shocked,” Wilson said.

Then came the pivotal day--Jan. 21, 2001.

Wilson shut out Westlake for three innings in a winter game, with a radar gun clocking him consistently at 91 mph and as high as 93.

Bill Sizemore, an assistant coach at Moorpark College and family friend, watched the game and was stunned.

“I went, ‘Whoa,’ ” Sizemore said. “He was pretty impressive.”

Sizemore started making phone calls.

When a pitcher goes from throwing 84 to 91 mph in a matter of months, it’s big news.

Bad weather, however, prevented scouts from seeing Wilson pitch to confirm the improvement.

But Sizemore’s calls had people excited, and Wilson was suddenly drawing interest from colleges.

“I don’t embellish when I call people,” Sizemore said. “I told them, ‘This guy is a prospect.’ ”

Pitching coach Gary Adcock of UCLA came to see Wilson pitch an inning against Hart on March 20. Coach Gary Adams of the Bruins saw him pitch an inning against Alemany on March 24.

The next day, Wilson took a recruiting visit to Jackie Robinson Stadium, was given an offer and accepted. UC Riverside, Cal State Northridge and Loyola Marymount were among the schools that lost out.

“It’s kind of humbling to know you’re going to a good school and get to play baseball,” Wilson said.

Wilson is 3-2 with a 2.11 earned-run average this season. He learned Friday that throwing 91 mph doesn’t guarantee success. Chris Valaika of Hart hit a grand slam off him.

But he’s a pitcher who has worked hard in the classroom and on the mound to earn the opportunity to play NCAA Division I baseball.

“He did everything you have to do to become a better player,” Valencia Coach Jared Snyder said.

Sizemore started working with Wilson as a sophomore and told his father he’d throw in the 90s one day.

“I liked the way his arm worked and I thought his shoulders would get broader,” he said.

Wilson isn’t a polished pitcher yet, but Sizemore predicts, “I think he’s going to be very good.”

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Once again, it takes a tragedy to open people’s eyes to the dangers of drinking and driving.

Nolan LeMar, 19, the second-leading hitter for College of the Canyons’ baseball team and a former first baseman for Hart High, was killed Monday night driving along Soledad Canyon Road in Santa Clarita.

His car was struck head-on by a car that crossed the center median. Authorities suspect the driver had consumed alcohol.

LeMar survived a harrowing experience the day before Thanksgiving in 1998. He was one of two Hart students burned by a botched experiment in science class. He suffered second-degree burns but returned in the spring to hit .431 and help Hart win the Southern Section Division II championship.

Now his life has been ended by an alleged drunk driver. It makes me angry.

Last spring, I spent a night with Santa Clarita teenagers taking part in Safe Rides, a program that provides rides home for young people who don’t want to get into a car with an intoxicated driver or don’t trust themselves to drive.

That’s when I learned that the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station ranked second only to Lancaster in total DUI arrests made by Los Angeles County deputies.

There’s a problem with drinking and driving in the Santa Clarita Valley, and it must be dealt with.

How many deaths will it take before people say enough?

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Jarron Collins, former Harvard-Westlake and Stanford basketball standout, made his debut as a public speaker Saturday at The Times’ basketball awards banquet.

Collins claimed it was his first speech to a large gathering, but he was so effective he might want to join a speakers’ bureau.

Collins’ microphone failed as his speech began, but he quickly adjusted, raising his voice and bringing laughter to the audience with tales of his experiences as a college basketball player.

About getting harassed in public, Collins said, “Smile, nod, shake hands and move on.”

If only Bob Knight could follow that recommendation.

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In 1993, Andy O’Donnell was a baseball teammate of pitcher Jeff Suppan at Crespi. He went on to graduate from Purdue and become a pilot. Today, he’ll be flying a chartered 727 with Suppan and the Kansas City Royals as passengers on their way to Toronto. He works for a company that flies sports teams around the country.

Don’t be surprised if O’Donnell gets on the public-address system and announces, “All Crespi graduates are welcome to come to the cockpit for a special tour.”

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ric Sondheimer’s column appears Wednesday and Sunday. He can be reached at (818) 772-3422 or eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.