Gwaltney's Passion Keeps Him on the Diamond

Sophomore Garry Gwaltney Jr. has loved baseball since he was playing T-Ball in Buford as a 3-year old. And now he is a Mountain View Bear. He was planning for most of his life to be a Mill Creek Hawk but when the new school opened, Gwaltney had to go to Mountain View. "Baseball is my whole life," he said. "I played a little football and basketball but I really wasn't that good. It's always fun to play against the guys I grew up playing with (at Mill Creek) and I am sure they are the same way and vice versa." So Gwaltney decided to concentrate on the sport he loves so he could play against them.

He may not be a straight-A student but Gwaltney goes to class. He has not missed a day of class since his freshman year. "I can hold my own in the classroom," Gwaltney said. "I do alright. I make B's regularly." But on the baseball field Gwaltney is one of the main players for the Bears. He is a pitcher, first baseman and right fielder. "Coach Johnson has helped me out a lot," he said. "He has some pro contacts and I like that. But he has helped my game out and now I am hitting better and pitching better."

Like other teenagers, Gwaltney does like video games but also has a passion for golf and plays a lot during the offseason. "It doesn't mess up my swing in the offseason but during the season I don't play," he said. He also adds that his dad has been a big fan and an influence in his dream to play baseball at the college level.

"He just loves the game," said the elder Gwaltney. "He can play more than one position and he's never been afraid to play other positions." With Gwaltney going to a new school he knew it would be tough to consistently win in the region they play in. But his attitude has never changed. "He never gets down and he shows how mature he is with the good attitude," Gwaltney Sr. said. "We knew with a new program we would take our lumps but we're going to have a good team and I am glad he will be a part of it by the time he is a senior."

Raising a son as a single parent is difficult enough, but Garry has always gotten along with his dad. "He's been there most of the time," he said. "He has taught me a lot growning up and coached me so I owe a lot to him."

Gwaltney hopes to take his game to the next level and with the passion and drive he has don't bet against him.