Left: Berwick City Cougars slugger Adam Silva has a long-term goal to play Major League Baseball after VIS coaches offered him a scholarship into the elite program. 27583 Picture: Stewart ChambersBy Marc McGowan
NARRE Warren South baseballer Adam Silva knows where he wants to go in the sport and is even more aware of what it’s going to take to get there.
The 14-year-old Berwick City Cougar accepted a 12-month scholarship into the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) this month.
Only athletes who are considered to have the potential to compete for Australia and in college and professional baseball are invited into the VIS.
Silva is one of the youngest baseballers to ever be involved in the VIS, but his selection comes as no real surprise given his performances at both junior and senior level.
“When I started playing I wasn’ttoo great, but I just made contact with theball and kind of developed from there,” he said.
“The Major Leagues are my ultimate dream. That would be massive. Just to have a career in baseball would be so good.
“It is going to get harder and harder as I go – it’s definitely not going to get easier – but I’m looking forward to it.”
Silva started the sport in 2005 and was on the plane to Japan as part of the Victorian team for the Little League World Series only 12 months later.
The Year 10 Kambrya College student also played for the state under-14 and under-16 sides at the National Baseball Championships over the past two years.
He led all Victorian and interstate players in batting average at the 2008 event and impressed with both his hitting and fielding in the under-16 competition in Geelong last month.
Silva made his senior debut for the Cougars this season and has maintained his spot in the team despite Berwick City preparing to compete in the finals.
“Everyone is so nice and it’s a really good, fun sport,” he said.
“Lots of people have helped me. Mouse (Wayne Porter), our club coach, has helped me a lot and given me a lot of pointers.
“At the start of the season my fielding was all right, but he’s really helped me develop that.
“At the under-16 carnival, I fielded 1.000, which means it was perfect – I didn’t make an error.”
Silva’s father, Richard, and grandfather, Robert, who were both involved at Waverley Baseball Club, have been his biggest influences.
But he knows his destiny is in his own hands.
“I definitely want to play college ball then hopefully go through the minors and then the majors and try and make my way up,” Silva said.
“This (the VIS scholarship) is pretty much one of the first steps in doing it.
“In this program I’ll train a lot, get my skills up and then hopefully a scout will see me and I’ll get signed to a college.”
Silva’s career may be firing on all cylinders, but he still has plenty of interest in his team’s fortunes.
“In juniors, I play Under-16 State and we’re in the finals now, too,” he said.
“We just made fourth place and the firsts are in second place, so obviously I’d love to make the grand final and win both of them.”
