By Tamas Mondovics
Local baseball stand out and recent Brandon High School graduate Jerry Biller III (MIF, C) would have had a pretty routine summer break was it not for his athletic talent that led him to represent his community and his country in a competition in Cuba.
Biller was one of 14 selected elite 18U players on the U.S. Burn Baseball Team to compete against some of the best Cuban baseball athletes, while playing five teams in total including the Havana National Team.
“This tournament was a phenomenal once in a life time opportunity,” Biller said.
Following four days of competition, the team completed the tourney in Cuba with a 5-0 record.
Biller is by no means a stranger to baseball success, and his trip to Cuba is not his first time to successfully represent his community on the field.
In 2013 he was part of Team America that competed in the Dominican Republic Academies, leading his team in stolen bases with Team America winning the tournament.
Biller is currently ranked 8th in the United States High School Baseball Players with Max Preps for fielding with 1.000 FPCT, 209 PO, 26 assists, 235 TC, and was also selected as Defensive Player of the year with Brandon High School Baseball and National Player of the Week by Varsity Views.
Biller is heading to Central Penn College in Summerdale, Pennsylvania this fall to pursue his higher education and college baseball career.
“Out of all the schools I considered, Central Penn rose to the top because they made me feel at home,” he said. “I wanted to find a place that felt like home.”
To help younger athletes hoping to follow in his footsteps, Biller emphasized the importance of dedication, commitment and encouraged them to never give up.
“Things may not always go the way you think they should or want them to go,” he said. “Being an athlete you have to overcome adversity and strive on it. I could have easily quit, but I didn’t.
Now as a three-year varsity letterman I had the opportunity to represent the U.S., playing in Cuba, and I am ready to attend Central Penn College and play college baseball.”
Biller’s father, Jerry Biller, summed up the recent trip and his son’s athletic career when he said, “Jerry has a positive attitude and is a leader on and off the field, which coupled with his work ethic, attitude and dedication, has led him to where he is today and into his bright future ahead. Visit bit.ly/2aHcCZB.
