Wednesday, May 5, 2004

OLM’s Woolfolk chooses Morehouse

Ralph Woolfolk has been an Our Lady of Mercy Bobcat since the school’s inception and when he heads to Morehouse College next year and into his life after college, he will remain a Bobcat at heart.

Woolfolk, captain of the baseball team for three years, is a team leader and, according to Coach Lee McDermott, an on-field coach. This year hasn’t been an easy year, as the Bobcats have a young pitching staff and have taken their lumps against older and more experienced teams, but Woolfolk has been an example to the team, working hard day in and day out.

“Ralph is the first to arrive and the last to leave,” said McDermott. “He is always asking questions because he wants to improve.”

Woolfolk has grown close to his coach over the years, partially because McDermott was a catcher when he played ball and Woolfolk wants to learn everything he can about playing the position. Those skull sessions have helped Woolfolk call better games, calm his pitchers down, learn to frame pitches and work on all the skills that will make him the best catcher he can be.

When not behind the plate, Woolfolk sometimes can be seen roaming centerfield. He has also played quarterback for Our Lady of Mercy and has the speed and athleticism to perhaps play any position. His cool demeanor makes him a great catcher, though. He is hard to rattle and he has worked hard at the position since the football season ended.

“There are no real tips to being a good catcher other than working hard at it,” said Woolfolk. “You can’t wish to be the best, you’ve got to work on what you’re not good at. If you’re good at framing pitches, work on blocking or throwing.”

The idea that there’s always room for improvement has also made Woolfolk a more disciplined hitter, helping him earn a .458 batting average and a .797 slugging percentage.

“When he strikes out, he doesn’t get down and let it effect the rest of his game,” said McDermott. “He comes in to the dugout and asks what he moight have done wrong.” This attitude is also what has made Woolfolk an attractive candidate to colleges and some pro teams. “Scouts like to see the talent,” said McDermott, “but they also want to see how you carry yourself and what kind of effort you give.”

McDermott said it has been a pleasure watching Woolfolk develop as a person and a player and he is also happy that a player for a small high school can get an atheltic scholarship to a good college. “If you’re good, they’ll find you,” said McDermott. “Ralph is one of the beter athletes I’ve worked with in my 18 years of coaching.”

Though there are a few games left in the season, Woolfolk has made up his mind and decided to attend and play for Morehouse next year.

A regular cast member on the Nickelodeon TV series “My Brother and Me” as a child in the mid-1990s, Woolfolk plans on majoring in mass communications and working in the entertainment industry afterwards.

Info box

Ralph Woolfolk

Our Lady of Mercy High School

Sr. Catcher/Centerfielder

Batting .458

Will attend Morehouse in the fall