Johnathan Clark, OF, West Holmes HS, Class of 2014

PBR: Why did you choose Kentucky Wesleyan?

Clark: It was a great fit for me. Its a small school, and everybody there cares about you. The community is very welcoming. Coach Lillpop is a great guy, and I think he can help me develop as a baseball player. I knew that Kentucky Wesleyan was a successful program and I wanted to go there and do whatever I could to contribute to their success.


PBR: What other schools were you considering?

Clark:  There weren't a lot of schools I wanted to go to. I was considering Findlay, West Liberty, and Slippery Rock along with Kentucky Wesleyan. However I knew I wanted to be at Kentucky Wesleyan from the start. They were the first school I looked at, and they were my always my top choice.

PBR: Where did the KW coaching staff first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?

Clark:  I went on a campus visit in the fall and met with Coach Lillpop. He wanted me to get him video of my performance. I decided to attend a couple of PBR events and use them to help get me recruited. Around the middle of February I got back in touch with Coach Lillpop and had him look over my player profile along with my videos. He told me that he would like for me to come play for him, and that's all it took for me to make my decision. He was the first coach to really give me an opportunity, and I am very grateful for that.

PBR: What role do the coaches expect you to play your first year on campus?

Clark:  It hasn’t really been discussed at this point; but I expect to go down there and work hard, learning under all the older guys. I don't expect to go down there and start my freshman year; but I will work to develop myself as a player and at some point, I plan on becoming a regular player for them.

PBR: What is your biggest strength as a player and how do you feel that you will help Kentucky Wesleyan baseball?

Clark:  I would say my biggest strength is probably hitting. I have come a long way over the last few years and have worked very hard on it. I think the thing that I will bring to the table more than anything else when I get to Kentucky Wesleyan, is my hard work. Im willing to do whatever is asked of me at KWC, and that is one way I plan to help them win.

PBR: Who do you play for in the summer and what was the most memorable experience from this summer?

Clark:  Last summer I played for the American Legion team out of Coshocton, Ohio. The most memorable experience was just getting to spend every single day with those guys, whether we were playing baseball or just hanging out with each other.

PBR: Now that recruiting process is over what are your individual and team goals for this spring?

Clark: My individual goal is going to be more about effort than stats this year. I just want to go out every day and give everything I have to my team. That will then transfer over to my team goal of making another deep playoff run, and hopefully returning to the state tournament.

PBR: What were your stats for last spring season at West Holmes?

Clark: I batted .261, with a .421 OBP, 6 RBI's and 5 SB.

PBR: Who is the toughest pitche that you have faced in Ohio?

Clark: I would have to go with Pierce Knisley from Waverly High School. He came out in the Regional Semi-Finals last year and held our team to just 2 runs, which is something not a lot of people could have done last year. It just so happens he also committed to Kentucky Wesleyan, so I look forward to getting to know him.