When you least expect it, you stumble over a surprise. After you evaluate the surprise, you realize that the surprise is really not a surprise at all. You have just been overlooking it this whole time.
Bloomingdale High will not be the first stop on any talent evaluators’ list or college recruiters’ list on schools to visit to find the next big college prospect. However, that does not mean they shouldn’t stop at all. In those very halls is a quiet young man, filled with motivation and determination. A young man who surprisingly rushed for 1200+ yards on an improving Bloomingdale football team. Under John Booth, Bloomingdale has gone from 0-10, 2-8 and 4-6 last season. One big reason why is 6-0/215lbs RB, Eugene Baker.
Baker is not your average running back. Very soft spoken, mild manner and easy going. Don’t take his mannerism as a weakness or a reason to doubt him. He is very motivated, primarily because of the imprisonment of his father.
Baker expressed the impact his father had on his life, “Taking me to practice everyday, making sure I did the right thing. He never missed a scrimmage, a game, he even went to 7 on 7s. Anything that motivated me to do good. When he went to jail, I took it as a learning lesson that I need to tighten up, do nothing wrong or be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Just make it so I can support my mom and my dad, so they don’t have live pay check to pay check the rest of their life.”
When law enforcement took Baker’s father away and it hit the senior RB that he would not see his motivator for an extended period of time, he was hurt to say the least. “That he wasn’t going to be able to see me perform on the football field. He always wanted to see me start and do good in high school. As I was young, he use to make sure, even if he had to drive me across town because I was to big to play in little league. Did what ever he could to make sure I was on the field.”
Eugene Baker may have been too big for youth league, perfect for high school. Last season as a junior: 223 carries, 1240 yards 5.56 ypr, 15 rushing TDS, 10 rec, 189 yards rec. 18.90 ypc and 2 rec TDs. His 6-0/215lbs frame came in handy on Friday night’s. “I know a lot of people don’t know I rushed for 1200 yards. I really doesn’t bother me as long as we are winning those games and getting “Ws”.
Baker is attracting attention from Ohio, Miami of Ohio, Rice and a few D2 schools. Not many right now, partly due to the lack of exposure. See Hilites below
Baker’s father will be home soon, not soon enough for Bloomingdale’s Bull. He will continue to use his family and father as motivation, “He gave me an extra boost to go harder. Just to hear him talk about what I did good in the game, just makes me feel good about myself.”