From Framingham Little League To A Division 1 University

FRAMINGHAM, MA- Its hard for Evan Sleight to remember a time when he wasn't on a sports team. Since he could walk or hold a bat, he's been playing sports. That spark was ignited in Framingham Little League teams and has pushed the senior to commit to play baseball for the University of Virginia.

A senior at the Belmont Hill school, Sleight said even though he isn't in Framingham High School his roots in the city run deep. "I have a lot to thank Framingham for," Sleight said, after all his love for sports was watered by the youth sports programs offered in the city. "Some of my best experiences have been through Framingham youth sports," Sleight said.

While Sleight is planning on dedicating the next four years to baseball, he said it all started with football in second grade. From there it was like a sports buffet for Sleight, picking up and playing every sport he encountered. For a while, Sleight juggled football, hockey and baseball, finding a special love for all of them.

When it came to his decision to start high school at Belmont Hill, Sleight said his teachers and coaches in Framingham were very influential in helping him. "They really just wanted what was best for me," he said.

As Sleight prepares to close one chapter of his life and start a new one in Virginia, he said he will miss his friends and family in Framingham the most, spending weekends watching the youth sports games he used to participate in. He said he looks forward to coming back to visit. "I'd love to come back to Walsh Middle School, see some of my old teachers like Mrs. Skinnion, who was so influential to me," Sleight said, rattling off a list of middle school teachers who helped shape him into the student he is.

After all, Sleight said he is a student first and athlete second, another notion instilled by his teachers in Framingham and Belmont Hill. "Baseball is the ticket to the academics," he said. While college is a whole new ballpark, Sleight said he's been balancing school work and sports his whole life and doesn't plan on tripping up now.

For now, Sleight is focused on finishing out his senior year strong, focusing on his favorite subject calculus, and spending time with his friends and teammates. While signing with a college team is a huge weight off his shoulders, Sleight said he doesn't want to get too comfortable. "You always have to work hard, no one is saving your place," he said. His skill could also bring some MLB attention which has kept the pressure on for Sleight. "If you start thinking about it too much it can get to you," he said, adding that he intends to play as he always does- giving each game his best.

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