By Chris Valentine
PBR Ohio Scouting Director

When Stuart Schley dreamed of going to college, West Point wasn’t even on his radar.

“To be honest, I had never even known about West Point,” he explained.

Schley lightly heartedly joked, “The extent of my knowledge of Army athletics consisted of the Army versus Navy football game.”

But, as his recruiting process unfolded this summer, the talented prospect from Orrville, Ohio, found himself being drawn to West Point.

“I liked it when the assistant coach that recruited me talked about the structure, discipline and high standards of the academy and the baseball program,” Schley said.

For many student-athletes, their college decision comes down to important factors such as athletics, academics, finances, or location.

But, for Schley, he wanted something bigger.

“What really drew me to West Point was the sense of accomplishment and purpose it brought in life.”

What exactly might that purpose be?

For Schley, it’s service.

“Attending West Point gives me a way to serve my country.  It is easy to take what we have as citizens for granted.  We don't think twice about how good we have it,” he explained.

When Schley arrives on campus, he will be one of about 1,300 cadets from across the nation in his class.

Each cadet attends West Point without any costs, including room, board, medical and dental expenses.

Some reputable sources, such as Forbes Magazine, have even placed a higher worth on a degree from West Point than reputable Ivy League institutions such as Harvard and Princeton.

But, attending West Point isn’t for everyone.

It requires hard work, dedication, and sacrifice.

Schley has talked with current players about the rigor involved with the cadet lifestyle.

“They all said it was the hardest thing they have ever done, and that the worst part was the consistent lack of sleep, sometimes as little as two hours a night.”

In addition to providing a world-class education and leadership training, West Point’s baseball program has been quietly successful over the past ten years, even being ranked in the top 25 nationally at times.

Located in New York, West Point has a unique relationship with the Yankees. During the spring, West Point uses the Yankees complex in Tampa, Florida. On occasion, the two teams will even play exhibition games against one another. The Yankees also provide unique internship opportunities for cadets to build vital job experience and a chance to develop relationships in professional baseball.

Talking about West Point’s facilities, Schley mentioned, “There are indoor and lighted outdoor batting cages, a full sized indoor turf facility, multiple turf fields outdoors, an amazing stadium, and a team room complete with flat screen TVs and an entertainment system.”

But, at the end of the day, baseball will be secondary, at best, for Schley.

His conditioning won’t just be about turning a single into a double.

His drill work won’t be your regular drill work.

And, his concept of teamwork will go far beyond turning double plays.

See, for Schley, when he takes off his baseball uniform for the last time, he will trade it in for a far more significant uniform.

The uniform of an officer in the United States Military.