CARY, N.C. - Throughout the year, USA Baseball has aimed to bring the fiercest competition across the country to the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. Amongst the tournaments, the National Team Identification Series (NTIS) Champions Cup is just one of the events that has quickly become a premier gathering that features many elite players across the country.
To bring in the mass amount of talented players, the NTIS uses a six-region system for the initial player identification process. The six regions that players derive from consists of the Midwest, Northeast, Northwest, South, Southeast, and Southwest where players from all over the country will congregate in Cary to compete for gold.
For one father and son duo from the Southwest region, the trip to the National Training Complex consisted of more than 2,500 miles to Cary from California with hopes of providing Alexander M. Scott the opportunity to square off against high-level players at the 14U NTIS Champions Cup. While in Cary, father Alexander T. Scott, wants his son to have the best experience and exposure that he can while on their cross-country expedition.
Despite the long trip, Scott has no regrets on taking his son to the National Training Complex because he views the opportunity for his son to compete at the 14U NTIS Champions Cup as a chance for his son to continue and strengthen his baseball journey.
“We tried to prepare our son by placing him into some of the local programs around our area. He wants to compete against the best, so we put him in premier national programs to help him grow as a player and as a person. As he develops, we as parents want to ensure that he loves the game of baseball while also wanting to work to get better. I think being at the National Training Complex with all of the high-level athletes is a benefit.”
To participate in a tournament like the NTIS Champions Cup is an immense honor and one that parents and players alike take a huge amount of pride in. For Scott, the event presents an opportunity for his son to compete against the best.
“It has been wonderful. I’m honored to be here and for my son to have been chosen to participate in an event of this nature. It’s a prestigious tournament. It’s an honor to be here among a lot of great players. As a parent, I am so ecstatic to be here and see the level of competition between everybody. I believe it will help strengthen my son’s work ethic. I want him to realize that he can always improve.”
Before solidifying a spot at the 14U NTIS Champions Cup, Scott and his son determined that this was a tournament that they both wanted to be a part of due to the potential exposure that the event brings. He also acknowledges that he can grow as a father throughout the experience by speaking to experienced players and coaches.
“Being exposed to the high-level coaches and the USA Baseball staff has been great. Being able to come back and pick the brains of past players, coaches, and present players that are all willing to teach baseball the right way to my son is special. It helps us as parents to know that our son wants to continue to get better and the USA Baseball staff continuously makes that happen. I love the exposure my son gets, so it’s definitely a benefit to my son and most of the young kids out here.”
While at the NTIS Champions Cup, Scott and the Southwest Stripes have enjoyed success across the first two days of action. In their first game, Scott made an appearance on the mound in a 15-1 rout of the Northeast Stripes where he pitched a hitless two innings. After a 1-0 start, the Southwest Stripes did not let up there as it notched an impressive 24-1 victory to move to 2-0.
Now at 2-0, Scott and the Southwest Stripes possess a growing sense of camaraderie as they navigate their way through the tournament field, but for the Scott family, the experience is all about growth and appreciation for the game of baseball.
“It can’t get any better than this. Baseball and family. We’re blessed by God so we know it's where we want to be. I’m hoping that my son continues this journey and that he continues to put in work wherever this journey takes him. We’re both grateful for the opportunity to be here.”
