‘Gouda’ will play baseball for Coastal Bend College

Marble Falls High School senior Jon “Gouda” Zamarippa has committed to play baseball for Coastal Bend College and will sign his National Letter of Intent in a few weeks. It’s the culmination of playing a sport for 14 years.

“I wanted to go to a junior college to find somewhere I can play for two years,” he said. “One of my coaches recommended it to me. I went on a trip there, and I loved it.”

Most everyone calls Zamarippa “Gouda” thanks to his sibling, Jack.

“I was a pretty chubby baby,” he said. “My big brother said I looked like a fat roll of gouda cheese.”

Zamarippa was recruited as an outfielder where he plays left field for the Mustangs. But that wasn’t the biggest reason Coastal Bend College coaches offered him a scholarship.

“I would say my bat is better than my glove,” he said. “In the summer I batted .450. I would say right now I’m batting .350. I’m at the four-hole (in the batting order for the Mustangs). It’s really tough, but it gets me better and ready for next year. I don’t get any fast balls.”

Once he reaches base, the athlete knows the battle has just begun. That’s why the Mustang rarely makes the kinds of mistakes that drive baseball lovers crazy — leaving the base early, not touching a bag when rounding the bases, being thrown out at first, or getting caught in a rundown. Zamarippa agrees with those who say baseball is a thinking man’s game.

“You have to see the baseball, see where the outfielders are,” he said. “You have to know different situations and don’t be the third out when you have people in scoring position. You have to pay attention. You’re constantly thinking of what you have to do.”

The son of Roman and Dana Zamarippa plans to be a business major to prepare to own his own business.

“I really want to get into storage units,” he said. “Not a lot of people think of it, but I think it’ll be unique.”

Not many people can understand enjoying a sport where players are considered good for going 3 for 10 from the plate. And yet Zamarippa is among those who have a deep feeling for it.

“I love the environment of it and the lessons it teaches me along the way,” he said. “It reminds me that life isn’t easy; it’s about how you respond to your problems.”

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