Three Sylmar High School Baseball Players Enlisted in the Army

A great story.

One of those little nuggets of news that rekindle your faith in the goodness of America.

Remember, we're constantly bombarded with how terrible we are by the left. When I see a story like this, of young people resisting the left's nihilist culture, I want to shout it from the rooftops.

At LAT, "'Go Army' more than a motto for Sylmar High baseball players":

Mario Xavier Cruz, Robert Jaime and Erick Aleman. Coached by Ray Rivera. 'I've always wanted to serve my country' https://t.co/6pfoJYIh3Z

— Angel Rodriguez (@ajrod) July 1, 2016

When Mario Xavier Cruz and Robert Jaime, baseball teammates at Sylmar High, look up into the sky on the Fourth of July and see fireworks bursting in the air, their thoughts may turn emotional.

Jaime leaves July 11 for Army boot camp at Fort Jackson, S.C. Cruz leaves the same day for Fort Sill, Okla.

Another Sylmar teammate, Erick Aleman, left June 20 for boot camp at Fort Benning, Ga.

“I’m very proud,” Sylmar baseball coach Ray Rivera said. “Three players off one team.”

Rivera doesn’t act like an Army drill sergeant — though his preseason conditioning sessions are pretty tough and he’s got an Army haircut. But the coach does offer a clear message to any player who shows up.

“I tell them everything we do here is geared for preparing you for life,” he said.

And the players agree that baseball has helped prepare them for Army life.

“Playing baseball really influenced me to join,” Aleman, a pitcher, said in an email before he left. “Baseball gave me the personal courage and confidence to join. The skills that I learned, I will use throughout my military career and life.”

Said Cruz: “Baseball takes a lot of discipline and you have to be mentally tough.”

Aleman was first to sign up, then he started talking to Cruz and Jaime. Soon, they were all in.

“I’ve always wanted to serve my country,” said Jaime, an all-East Valley League catcher who batted .437 and also starred as a wrestler. “I always looked up to soldiers and saw how much respect they got.”

Rivera, who has been Sylmar's coach for 14 seasons, had other players join the military but never this many from one team.

“All three of them could have gone to college,” he said...

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