Connor Clancy first began playing baseball when he was five years old, but with a father who coached baseball at Esperanza High School at the time, growing up in a baseball household meant America’s pastime was all Clancy knew.
“Baseball…has always been a part of my life,” says Clancy. “I picked up my bat [for the] first time, and I had a lot of fun playing.”
The 17-year-old Anaheim resident recently graduated from Servite High School, having represented the varsity Friars behind the plate as starting catcher for three seasons. Serving in the senior captain role his final year, Clancy focused on team camaraderie as a path to success.
“I lead by example,” says Clancy. “I never ask people to do something I won’t do myself. I really try to bring the team together, because it all starts in the clubhouse. Team chemistry is such a big part of baseball. If we aren’t on the same page, we’re never going to get anything done.”
Servite Head Baseball Coach Shawn Gilbert, leaned on Clancy as “another coach on the field,” tapping into his senior captain for both skill and leadership.
“Connor’s experience, knowledge of the game and talent are what earned him the trust of the coaching staff,” says Gilbert. “He is a talented and bright young man who is a high achiever and driven to succeed. He will be sorely missed. The community of Servite is very proud of him, and we look forward to his future accomplishments.”
Away from the baseball diamond, Clancy served his school as chairman of the Campus Life Committee and chief student ambassador for prospective and incoming students. In the community, Clancy has worked with the Mark Cresse School of Baseball, helping to run camps for kids to improve their skills.
For a game that he and others often refer to as “a game of failure,” baseball has taught Clancy how to learn from those experiences.
“Baseball has definitely humbled me,” says Clancy. “You’re never going to have a perfect day. You have to make the most of the opportunity that you have at the moment.”
Clancy will be continuing his baseball career alongside serving his country as he reports this month to the United States Air Force Academy where he will study military strategies and philosophy. He desires to work in special operations for the Air Force and become a combat control specialist.
Inspired by his grandmother, who is a breast cancer survivor, and his Catholic faith, Clancy is ready for his next chapter.
“Over the course of these last four years, I’ve felt like I’ve grown in character. I’ve grown especially in my faith,” says Clancy. “It’s a bigger part of my life now than I ever thought it would have been. I do owe all the glory to God. In the end, my plan is in his hands.”