Why Haven't we recruited this kid

[StrongRebel]

Brookhaven's Helmstetter finds refuge in baseball

It was 4 something in the morning on a country road just outside Brookhaven.

"I was scared to death. It was pitch black," Helmstetter recalls about that Easter morning some eight or nine years ago.

He was escaping from another nightmarish night in a broken home. This time, he was headed to the home of a woman he calls Mrs. Renee - his closest neighbor - after watching a fight between his mother and stepfather.

"It seems like Nick was always running trying to find refuge," Renee Hutson said. "But I always felt that God had a special hand on him and had a special purpose for him. I can't explain why some kids gets breaks and some don't, but it breaks my heart to see what he went through. But Nick determined early on that his life was going to turn out different."

And for Helmstetter, now a standout baseball player at Brookhaven High, his life is much different.

"I can't remember a time when my parents weren't on drugs," Helmstetter said. "I remember men coming over to our house in the middle of the night. I would peek through the window and see them come in. They'd pass my door and go down the hall to my mom's room. After a while they were gone and she would be loaded. Again."

He also remembers trips to the Lincoln County jail to visit his parents. And his toys being pawned for drug money.

"I remember my mother telling me that someone had broken in and stolen them, but really, she had stolen it and pawned it for crack," said Helmstetter. "When I was really young I don't remember seeing them (use drugs), but I somehow knew the word and knew that it was the downfall of my parents. I was always embarrassed as a kid."

Helmstetter, 18, says he's not ashamed anymore. In fact, he uses his past as fuel to what he says will be a bright future. Only now, he escapes not on a bike but through baseball.

"To Nick, baseball is pretty much equal to religion," said Stacy Oberschmidt, who along with husband Chad became Nick's legal guardians when he was in the eighth grade. "He lives baseball. He breathes it. He respects it in a way that I have never seen before."

For Helmstetter, baseball is an outlet.

"Baseball helps me get my mind off all the stuff I've been through," said Helmstetter, who will lead Brookhaven (20-6) against Long Beach when the MHSAA Class 4A playoffs begin on Friday. "It has definitely helped me not to make the same mistakes that my parents made. Without baseball I really don't know what I would be doing. I'd probably be getting in a lot of trouble, I'm pretty sure of that."

Helmstetter, who has played every position except second base and catcher this season, is one of the state's top seniors and was a contender for a spot on The Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen team this spring. Last week, he was named to this summer's D.M. Howie All-Star baseball game. He's batting .521 and has a 5-2 record on the mound with a 0.81 ERA. Last week, on senior night, he pitched a no-hitter against Florence. It was the third no-hitter of his career.

"He's one of the best players we have had to come through Brookhaven and we've had some pretty good ones," said Brookhaven coach Randy Spring. "If there was ever a kid that had an excuse to be sorry and go down the wrong road because of a rough home life, it would be Nick. But he is so humble and his character and demeanor are pretty amazing. And he loves baseball. That's all he thinks about."

"I spend many restless nights planning my future," Helmstetter said. "Just going through what it's gonna take to get where I want to be and praying that God will put the people in my path like he has so far."

He means people like the folks who paid his registration fees to play in youth leagues. Or people like the Oberschmidts, who took him in after a chance meeting when he walked by their home one day.

"From the time he moved in, he was always very humble and very thankful and very grateful," Stacy Oberschmidt said. "We have two children of our own, but I have never seen anyone as driven as him. Even to this day, if something is not being done at our house, he'll try to do it. A lot of times I have to stop and tell him, 'Nick, just be a kid.'"

Helmstetter admits he never got a chance to be one. There was too much to do.

"I can't remember one single time that my mother ever woke me up for school," he recalled.

Instead, Helmstetter would rise on his own, then get himself and his sister Nicole ready in time to catch the bus.

His sister now lives with grandparents on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He rarely talks to his mother, who lives in Brookhaven, and he hasn't talked to his father in four years.

"But I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me," Helmstetter said. "Yeah it's been tough, but I have had them (the Oberschmidts) there for me and I can't thank them enough. My little sister and I were dealt a tough childhood, but thanks to the grace of God and the wonderful people He used, I've made it this far and reached many goals and will fight to reach the ones still on my list."

Helmstetter's goal is to play Division I college baseball, which is why he turned down a scholarship offer to play at Delta State, a tradition-rich Division II school. Instead, he signed with Meridian Community College with the hopes of one day playing at a Division I school.

His ultimate dream?

"The good Lord willing, I would be on a diamond somewhere wearing a major league uniform," he said.

And if that doesn't happen, you'll still likely find him on a baseball field. Maybe working in sports medicine, he says. Or maybe as a coach.

Or maybe, he'll be there for another reason.

"Still to this day when things get tough, before I know it, I'm at the baseball field," he said. "I'll jump the fence and just walk around. It's my safe place."

To comment on this story, call Rod Walker at (601) 961-7298.

[ReservoirReb]

If he is going to Meridian CC makes me wonder if he has academic qualifying issues. Also, I don't really know anything about the state of baseball schollys in D-II but D-I schollys are a joke. It is ridiculous that these guys essentially play for books while other sports get full rides. I doubt this young man has many financial options for school. It is not like a few of us could help either because that would be an NCAA violation. That being said community colleges are cheaper and a scholly there comes closer to providing real financial assistance.
Besides, if this guy is this good his phone could ring in June with the opportunity to play professionally.

[Heath]

If he is going to Meridian CC makes me wonder if he has academic qualifying issues. Also, I don't really know anything about the state of baseball schollys in D-II but D-I schollys are a joke. It is ridiculous that these guys essentially play for books while other sports get full rides. I doubt this young man has many financial options for school. It is not like a few of us could help either because that would be an NCAA violation. That being said community colleges are cheaper and a scholly there comes closer to providing real financial assistance.
Besides, if this guy is this good his phone could ring in June with the opportunity to play professionally.

Yeah, the scholarships suck. I remember the coach at LSU, years ago, stated that the MOST a player at LSU had ever recieved was 74% scholarship. And that was after players like Albert Belle, and few others that were in the MAJORS.

If I were him and I needed the money and wanted to get out of town, I would go play for whatever they offered me.

[oxfordrebel]

This season he's hitting a .547 with 14 walks to just 5 strikeouts. He's been hit by a pitch 7 times, so he finds ways to get on-base. He has a .667 OBP.

Plus being that good of a pitcher, you're potentially looking at another Stephen Head here.

This article talks about how driven he is, so I would wager that it carries over to his schoolwork as well? If so, a partial scholly for baseball combined with an academic scholly and some "hardship" scholarships and he's going to any in-state school he wants for free.

If I'm Bianco I'm trying to figure out how to put together a scholarship package to present to him.

[StrongRebel]

Look what happen to that kid from Pillow Academy that Ron Polk tried to place at Meridian CC. LSU called him up come I think May or June after the draft and offered him a scholly. He is now LSU's ace pitcher who shut us down this past series. I forgot his name but he might be the best pitcher in the SEC. Bittle may rival him.

So if State or Ole Miss is trying to place him in CC then offer him next year it could blow up in their face.

[HottyToddy10]

He sound's like a great kid. Even if we aren't recruiting him, I hope that all turns out well for him. He has overcome alot and deserves the best....

[Redbluedude]

Look what happen to that kid from Pillow Academy that Ron Polk tried to place at Meridian CC. LSU called him up come I think May or June after the draft and offered him a scholly. He is now LSU's ace pitcher who shut us down this past series. I forgot his name but he might be the best pitcher in the SEC. Bittle may rival him.

So if State or Ole Miss is trying to place him in CC then offer him next year it could blow up in their face.

Ott?

[StrongRebel]

Louis Coleman!
They came back and won the Saturday game 6-5. He only gave up 4 hits, 2 runs and 10 strikeouts.

Ott was the one that almost blew the game for LSU.

[ReservoirReb]

There is no question this is a great kid. He has incredible character. Much more than I had at 18. I just think there is more to this from a recruiting standpoint. The article says he turned down a scholly to Delta State (which is no baseball slouch) to go to Meridian CC (which is also no baseball slouch) in the hopes of getting a D-1 opportunity. I am not sure I understand this. That sounds to me like he has no D-1 offers.
I could be wrong. I have been wrong a couple of times before.

[oxfordrebel]

There is no question this is a great kid. He has incredible character. Much more than I had at 18. I just think there is more to this from a recruiting standpoint. The article says he turned down a scholly to Delta State (which is no baseball slouch) to go to Meridian CC (which is also no baseball slouch) in the hopes of getting a D-1 opportunity. I am not sure I understand this. That sounds to me like he has no D-1 offers.
I could be wrong. I have been wrong a couple of times before.

I missed that line in there. That is odd. I think you're right, there's more to this story.

Still, I wish him the very best.

[olemissreb10]

It sounds like he should be in a position to get some help from grants or other scholarships that are give out to good students whose parents make below a certain amount. I know Jordan Henry is a Luckyday scholar which pays for about half of tuition. That scholarship is based on your parents making below 100,000 combined and making good grades.