Small leads Tigers from behind plate

It's a choice more and more high school seniors are having to make. Go to school and get an education, or chase down your dreams of playing professionally.

For senior catcher Buster Small, the opportunity to play professional baseball had presented itself, and the temptation was strong.

"Like every kid, I wanted to be a major leaguer," Small says. "It's every little leaguer's dream to be a major leaguer."

No one has a perfect childhood. For Small, growing up in Honolulu and being able to play baseball year round was close.

Sundays stand out as the most important days in Small's early training. Starting when he was only six years old, his father and older brother would take him out to play.

They were not just playing catch. His father and older brother were strict on Small's fundamentals from the beginning.

"I'd come home and my mom would know if I got yelled at depending on what mood I was in. They were hard on me, but I owe a lot to them. I look back and really cherish those moments."

His freshman year at Punaho High School he became the starting catcher. Small, who was also a center for the football team and twice earned allstate honors in that sport, had trouble adjusting to the speed of high school baseball.

"I struggled, badly. But I learned a lot and it helped me to learn to handle failure," he said.

Small remained the starting catcher throughout high school, and by his junior year he had not only caught the eye of several colleges, but also scouts at the next level.

Blue chip

Well enough, in fact, that several big-time colleges, such as USC and Fresno State, began recruiting him. While Princeton was a late entry into the recruiting process, Small was excited by the chance at an Ivy League education.

He applied to Princeton and was accepted before his senior season. His baseball future, however, had not yet been decided.

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After the season was over, he was drafted by the New York Yankees. He now had the opportunity to chase his childhood dream.

Small was not, however, a high draft pick. After discussing his options with scouts, he decided to come to Princeton.

Much like his freshman year in high school, Small was the starting catcher from Day One. Once again, there were adjustments to be made.

"As a freshman you really can't come out barking orders and yelling at guys. I wanted to prove myself in the fall and earn their respect."

With his stellar defensive play, he earned the team's respect and now, a team captain, he is in a position to help a young pitching staff do the same.

"We have such a young pitching staff that it gives them all the confidence in the world that they have someone back there who's at that level," head coach Scott Bradley says.

Right now, Small's future in baseball is uncertain. He went undrafted last year and needs to improve at the plate to ensure his chances at professional baseball.

"He won't be a high draft choice," Bradley says, "but he catches and throws well enough that I think he'll be given an opportunity to play."

Whatever happens, Small does not regret his decision to pass up on professional baseball for college.

"Baseball's going to leave me at some point, but I'm going to have my diploma in hand and they can't take that away from me, as much as they might want to."