By Cornelia Seigneur, Special to The OregonianPublished originally in print edition of SW Weekly Oregonian May 28, 2011
Grade/school: Senior, Sherwood High School
Team: Varsity baseball
Photo: Denise Jackson
Recent accomplishments: “I’m the starting shortstop and hit third in the lineup. This season, I have a .423 batting average, three doubles, one triple, one home run, 36 runs scored.” In a three-game stretch, he was 8 for 14, scored seven runs and had nine RBI.
How he got started: “Every day since I was about 4 years old I would play with a baseball in my backyard by myself: I would throw the ball in the air as high as I could and catch it, over and over. I would hit it with the bat and chase it across the field, and hit it again.”
Favorite part of sport: “You never know what is going to happen with the next pitch. It could be a strike, a ball, a fly ball to you, or you might have to lay out and make a spectacular play.”
Favorite meal the night before the big game: “I don’t really have a special dinner before, but the morning of my game I really enjoy my mom’s pancakes.”
Offseason? “I play baseball year round except for the winter, and even then I still work on getting better for the upcoming season. I love to play golf when I get a chance during the summer.”
Rules to live by: “Don’t dwell on the past; it’s done and over with. Thinking about it won’t change it, move on.”
Memorable advice: “Finish the play and be done with it.”
Hobbies, interests: “I love music, pretty much all genres, especially old rap. I do some volunteer work.”
On his iPod: “I listen to a lot of old Eminem and D12.”
The one thing someone may not know about him: “If I didn’t play baseball, I would definitely play golf. I’ve loved golf all my life. I actually played golf before baseball.”
What’s next? “I’m undecided where I’m going to attend school at this point. But I’m going to play baseball wherever I go.”
http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2011/05/sports_spotlight_tyler_rome_sh.html
