By JOE McFARLAND

Looking back on his baseball journey, Jason Serafinchon believes he wouldn’t be where he is now had it not been for the decision to lose weight – a lot of weight.

A self-admitted “little fat kid” growing up, the Spruce Grove product remembers hitting whiffle balls off his mom and watching his dad play slo-pitch.

But it wasn’t until he decided to go to AHP Academy in nearby St. Albert to help his pursuit of collegiate baseball that he knew something would have to change.

Serafinchon dedicated all of his spare time to the gym and eating right, getting stronger and losing 80 pounds in the process.

“When I decided I wanted to go down and play baseball, I had to get in the gym and work hard,” the 5-foot-11, 200-pound infielder told Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast. “I love the fact that I got through that and I’ve gotten to where I am now.”

Where now is McCook Community College, where he became a star in his freshman season and is looking to be even better in 2024 while hoping to catch the eye of a four-year program.

YOUNG CARDINAL

A product of the St. Albert Minor Baseball Association (SAMBA), Serafinchon always had a passion for hitting.

He doesn’t recall hitting many home runs as a youngster, but felt it could be a part of his game with his new-and-improved physical fitness.

Serafinchon started working out at AHP in 2018 and, after graduating high school in 2021, took a gap year to train with the inaugural AHP Senior Academy team.

Even being part of the program for that long, he couldn’t have imagined the support he received from what he now considers family.

250 for @JSerafinchon !!#DevotedToDrivenAthletes pic.twitter.com/GaSv4godO0
— AHP (@ABHPerformance) August 11, 2023

“They helped me get placement into a college, helped get my numbers up to get down here and then to find a perfect spot where I can come in and play,” said the 20-year-old. “I owe them a great deal.”

The respect is mutual, according to AHP founder and owner Taylor Burns, who says it is always extremely rewarding to help an athlete realize their dreams.

That being said, he says it is still different with Serafinchon.

“First, he’s such an exemplary young man and so he deserves all the good things that are coming his way,” Burns said.

“Secondly, because when I think of where he started to where he is now, it’s truly remarkable and a testament to his character, and hard work.”

Not only was Serafinchon able to commit to McCook, but he put an exclamation point on the end of his time with St. Albert Minor Baseball by helping their 18U squad capture his first provincial championship in 13 years with the program.

THE COLLEGIATE PURSUIT

To say Serafinchon’s first year in college was a success might be an understatement, as he hit .329 in 47 games with 10 doubles, seven home runs and 44 runs batted in.

While the team wasn’t able to advance past the district tournament, the left-handed slugger was able to learn a lot from his teammates including Swift Current’s Ethan Murdoch, who was named to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American Second Team.

“Having a guy like that and not have to be the main guy took the pressure off and allowed me to just do my thing,” Serafinchon said. “It was awesome.”

Heading into his sophomore season with McCook, he says it’s easy to take on a leadership role as he gets to teach the new players about the expectations of the program.

UNCOMMITTED 24’ 🇨🇦 JUCO SO 1B

3.95 GPA

‼️Looking for 4 year and summer ball opportunities

Swings from last weekend in Labette
-HR #2 (grand slam)

📞 +1 (587)-974-3672

✉️ j.serafinchon@gmail.com@PBR_Uncommitted @The_Noah_Sharp @BUncommitted @FlatgroundBats @jucoroute pic.twitter.com/o1xCNBIM9m
— Jason Serafinchon (@JSerafinchon) February 20, 2024

Serafinchon has also set his own personal goals of hitting double the number of home runs he hit in 2023 (from 7 to 14) while batting .330.

He also hopes to find a school to continue his baseball journey, and while he doesn’t have a “dream school” in mind, he says the perfect combination involves both athletics and academics.

“It doesn’t have to be a division one or division two school or whatever,” Serafinchon said. “I’d just like to go somewhere where I can compete and be able to do school at the same time.”

When it comes to school, his focus is on finishing either a business or chemistry degree.

DEVOTED TO BE DRIVEN

While they seem like polar-opposite scholarly interests, Serafinchon says his love of business and chemistry come together in the form of owning a pharmacy.

And just like in pursuing his baseball dreams, he knows it will be more work in the classroom, so the 3.95 GPA-holder harkens to some sage advice from his parents on how to balance his competing responsibilities.

“Do what you have to do before you do what you want to do,” Serafinchon says. “Before I get to go and hit extra or go to the weight room or even just chill out and play video games, it always has to be ‘do my school work, get it all done, then I can go do those other things I want to do.’”

It’s an attitude that he hopes other young athletes, especially ones looking to lose weight, learn from as well.

💣 💣 @JSerafinchon pic.twitter.com/ugxRlGiqan
— St. Albert AHP Baseball Academy (@AcademyAhp) February 19, 2024

Serafinchon says he had to find activities and foods he enjoyed instead of always trying to keep doing or eating things he wasn’t liking.

Once he stopped over-complicating it, found a routine and put in the work, his goals became easier to achieve, and now he says baseball has become his life.

“Without baseball, I wouldn’t be here right now,” Serafinchon said. “I wouldn’t be slimmed down and I’d still be that chunkier kid, so I owe the game of baseball everything and I want to give back to it throughout my life.”

By sharing his story now and into the future, he is well on his way to doing just that.