OLIVER KIMOKEO | sports editor
photo | OLIVER KIMOKEO
Stephen Vogt works hard in the classroom and on the field. Vogt will be graduating with a degree in physical education.


Baseball catcher finishes his degree—a primary priority before pro advancement.

Former Cougar baseball catcher Stephen Vogt will graduate with his fellow classmates in the Winter Commencement on Dec. 15. Most of his classmates have not been involved in the professional world prior to graduation—Vogt has.

Vogt returned to APU for the fall semester to finish his degree in physical education. During the summer, he played for the Hudson Valley Renegades, a single-A team in the Tampa Bay Rays farm system based in Fishkill, N.Y. Vogt was drafted by the Rays in June after a phenomenal four-year career at APU.

“The organization told him the only way they would approve of him coming back to APU and not going to instructional league was that if he got married or was finishing school,” Cougar baseball associate head coach Robert Ruiz said. “And he’s doing both. Everything that he’s doing here will support his career and he didn’t worry about the potential perception of himself by making that decision.”

Essentially, Vogt has returned to APU, already having a taste of the professional world.

“There’s definitely a different mentality amongst professional athletes versus amateur athletes,” Cougar baseball head coach Paul Svagdis said. “Things become real-world when you step into a professional environment. In a collegiate environment, you’re sheltered from a lot of things. I noticed when he came back here that he kept his maturity in his worldly environment where competition is cutthroat.”

Vogt said adjusting back to his academics has been tougher than he expected.

“Coming back was hard because being at APU and not having baseball is something I have not experienced before,” Vogt said. “Just being a student, I did not know what to do. I was bored out of my mind.”

In baseball, the catcher is the thinking man’s position. Not only does a player have to be aware of his own play but he also plays the role of directing the team’s defensive alignment on the field. Academics has prepared Vogt well for his position.

“You can learn everything from playing sports and you can learn everything from academics,” Vogt said. “Being a catcher, you have to study and you have to know your hitters so that you’re ready for the game. School is the same way; if you’re writing a paper, you have to do the preparation.”

Vogt has returned to help his former collegiate team as well with their player development for the 2008 season.

“He’s a student of the game as a catcher should be. He really took to coaching in terms of really processing what was being taught,” Svagdis said. “We thought it was a natural fit when he came back in the fall and started working with our catchers. He became like an assistant coach.”

Sharon Lehman, a physical education professor, has overseen Vogt’s scholastic progress and has been his academic advisor. She has admired the way Vogt approaches life with his work ethic.

“He’s so disciplined and focused,” Lehman said. “If he were to teach, he would be able to handle kids today and their energy. He’s been a good enough student that he knows what it takes to be a good physical education teacher. He’s well-rounded and very talented.”

Vogt has kept a focus on his studies even if he is not particularly interested with the material presented. This is Vogt’s scenario at this moment, as he is fulfilling his general education requirement.

“The one thing that strikes me about Stephen is that even if he is not necessarily passionate about the topic, he makes sure he is engaged in class,” Lehman said.

Vogt’s transition to a professional baseball career started off rocky. After his first 21 games, he had a .194 batting average. At the end of the season, after 70 games, he finished with a .300 batting average with 48 RBIs, which is a good indication of what he could do in 2008.

“The biggest adjustment was realizing that baseball is a game but now it’s a job,” Vogt said. “It’s not a stressful job but being an everyday player, you have to learn to leave it at the field whether you have a good day or a bad day because you take it into your life.”

From Svagdis’ perspective, Vogt had a good first season in professional baseball.

“On the field, he is a tireless worker,” Svagdis said. “He is a person who has mastered his craft and knows how to play the game of baseball. As a catcher and a hitter in this program, we saw him continually work on what he did well on a daily basis. That’s why he’s been so consistent, broke our program records, and done so well in pro ball.”

Vogt is a man who understands his priorities. Being a professional baseball player is important to him but not at the cost of academic failure or maritial tension.

“He’s building his foundation,” Svagdis said. “He wants to make sure his marriage is set off in the right direction which is a good value. He’s going to set aside some personal and professional goals right now because that’s his priority. The same applies for his education. He knows when he gets his degree, he’s just set a foundation for himself professionally regardless of whether he plays major league baseball.”

Academics is not something that comes easy to Vogt. He has to work hard to be keep ahead of his studies. He uses time management in order to excel in all areas of his life.

“School has always been a struggle,” Vogt said. “I am not the world’s greatest student. I’ve had to work hard, but that’s just like anything else in life. So, it’s prioritizing and taking Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to get all your work done so that you can fun for the rest of the week.”

Ruiz admires the maturity of Vogt’s decision to finish school.

“He has taken a very mature approach to the whole process,” Ruiz said. “He understands the value of being grounded in taking care of school before he goes on to his career.”

Svagdis will be following Vogt’s career with invested interest and he will miss his longtime catcher.

“I think he’s an extremely talented baseball player and I think he’s an extremely hard working person,” Svagdis said. “I expect him to do great.”

Vogt is looking forward to what 2008 will bring for him. He will be married on Dec. 29 to Alyssa Ferdaszewski, who played basketball for the Cougars.

“2008 is going to be starting off perfect,” Vogt said. “My personal goal is to be a great husband and to start developing a family. Professionally, my goal is to make it to the double-A level at the end of the year.”