Van Buren junior Wilkerson leads by example

Landrey Wilkerson is what old-school baseball coaches refer to as a “dirt dauber.” By definition, “dirt daubers” are unafraid to get dirty, go the extra mile, or give themselves up. Wilkerson plays the game with passion. And, while playing for Van Buren coach David Loyd, Wilkerson’s learned another old-school phrase — one that Loyd and assistant coach Luke Weatherford use as part of their everyday vocabulary. “Bow your neck, son!” “If I was pitching against a team or hitting off of an experienced pitcher, his go-to line would be to ‘bow your neck.’ And that’s really what you gotta do against someone that might be better than you,” Wilkerson said. “You can’t lay down when things get tough. He’s (Loyd) shown me how to not be so rough on myself whenever things don’t go right. He has been able to coach some really good baseball players in his past, like Tyler Spoon and Brandon Moore, good teammates (who) lead by example. “They are a big reason in my development and success.” “He’s a tough-nosed kid,” Loyd said. “He’s done a great job for us in center, and he’s pitched, too. He’s always hit.” The Pointers’ coaches aren’t just about hitting and defense, either, Wilkerson said. “I’ve learned a lot from coach Loyd,” he said. “He’s shown me how to be a really good competitor with whatever I do, whether it is pitching, hitting, and along with many others, but how they deal with the game I’m sure came a lot from him. Coach Loyd, along with coach Weatherford, have shown me how to be a even base running.” The Pointers’ center fielder wasn’t born to patrol the outfield. But Wilkerson learned pretty quickly. “I took up the center field job my freshman year, had a few ups and downs, but really had a feel for it my sophomore year and have just progressed with it,” he said. “I didn’t usually play center field before high school in travel ball, I played some first, pitched, played right and left field but never center.” “I guess he was in the ninth grade when he first came in,” Loyd said. “We moved him around a little bit, but that seemed to suit him, and it was good for us. I think in college, he may be a corner outfielder. He’s done a great job for us in center.” Wilkerson hit .417 while helping lead Van Buren to an 18-6 record in 2017. But this season, with pitching depth and regulars hitting over .300, the sky is the limit. Wilkerson’s numbers aren’t bad, either. He’s homered three times, knocked in 22 runs, and scored 31 runs. “What we need to do as a team to push further into this season is to play together,” Wilkerson said. ”(We have to) stick it out this last week and play baseball like we know how to play.” Van Buren opens the postseason play Thursday against Northside. The Pointers defeated the Grizzlies 14-0 on April 11. “We can’t look past Northside in Round 1, we’ve got to take every game at a time like it’s our biggest game yet,” Wilkerson said. “We can play with any team in the state, it’s just a matter of wanting to and staying focused on why we’ve come this far.”

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Van Buren High School Athletics

VAN BUREN JUNIOR WILKERSON LEADS BY EXAMPLE

KEVIN TAYLOR

Times Record | 5/9/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: Aaron Shaffer