Neuqua Valley senior pitcher Daniel Kim is a finisher.
Kim relies on his intelligence, determination and work ethic to become proficient at his craft, whether it’s baseball, taekwondo or the flute.
“Once I start something, I really like to get it into a habit, to keep it going a long time,” he said. “I keep pushing through it. I’m really good at staying focused for a long time, which helps me persevere through anything, and to keep working hard.”
Kim suffered a hamstring injury late last summer, and it lingered. That prompted the right-hander to consider quitting baseball, a sport that he started playing in fifth grade.
But Kim returned to the diamond, of course, and he has made a team-high nine appearances for the Wildcats (9-15) this season.
“I’m glad I continued to play because this might be my last baseball season,” he said. “I want to give it my best and do my best for the team and to have fun. I’m enjoying it.”
Kim, who relies on a fastball, a splitter and a slider, is 1-2 with a 4.67 ERA over 18 innings. He has struck out 14 and walked eight. He said he has become a more complete pitcher this season.
“My pitching has gone better than I expected,” he said. “I’ve been able to command the zone better and been able to use three pitches and to work in and outside the zone to keep hitters off balance.”
Neuqua Valley coach James Thornton said Kim knows what he’s doing on the mound.
“Daniel’s not an overpowering pitcher, but he will throw strikes, make the opposition swing their bats,” Thornton said. “He’s got an awesome pickoff move to first base.”
Kim is also a team-first player, according to Thornton.
“Daniel is one of those guys you want to multiply,” Thornton said. “He’s a guy who trusts what coaches are trying to teach, goes out and does his job. Win or lose, he’s enjoying it.”
Thornton said Kim is a contributor for the Wildcats off the field, too, calling him a true leader for the program.
“He makes the team better,” Thornton said. “I have to slow him down. He’s willing to help out in any way. I don’t have to ask him to do anything. When he’s not pitching, he’s hustling for foul balls or picks up equipment. It’s nice to have a kid like that. He’s willing to do things to get the job done. If no one else does it, then he will do it.”
Kim, who said he has a 4.5 weighted GPA and scored a 34 on the ACT, is set to attend Case Western Reserve and major in biomedical engineering. He prides himself on his academic work but finds time for hobbies.
He trained in taekwondo for more than a decade and said he reached triple black belt. With the flute, he has performed at several Neuqua Valley concerts and the District 204 Solo and Ensemble Honors Recital.
Kim said his background in taekwondo and music helped him become a better pitcher.
“I think taekwondo helped me with the mental aspect of baseball,” he said. “With pitching, it gave me mobility and being athletic and active on the mound. The flute taught me the importance of practice and repetition, just the importance of being able to practice over and over again. You can’t go one day and be really good. It all comes down to practice and repeating. The practice is where you grow.”
Kim has always been highly focused and motivated to do his best, according to his father, Howard.
“He started (flute) because of his mom,” Howard Kim said. “He kept on wanting to learn from her. He kept going. That’s his character. Once he sticks to it, he finishes what he starts.”
Howard Kim said he saw an early sign of Daniel’s determination during taekwondo training.
“We thought when he got his first black belt that he might quit,” Howard Kim said. “After getting his black belt, he got more confident in himself. That’s what’s good about taekwondo. You endure the process of training and discipline. He got more confident and built up his stamina, just like in baseball.
“He started baseball late but jumped right into it.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
