On Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, North Penn senior Zack Miles was recognized for committing to continue his baseball career at Lehigh University. To view photos of the event, please visit the Photo Gallery at the following link: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/p573600955
Zack Miles – Lehigh University (Baseball)
Major: Finance
Reasons for choosing Lehigh: “I decided to go to Lehigh because when I went on my visit everyone just accepted me with open arms, and they were all really excited to see me and all the other players going there.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in baseball at the collegiate level? “Ever since I was five years old, I always knew I wanted to play baseball in college, and it would give me four extra years after high school if I had the opportunity to, and I got that opportunity.”
Favorite high school sports memory: “My favorite memory has to be my first varsity game ever. It was really scary because I was so much smaller and weaker than everybody, and everybody just supported me with everything, and that helped me get through it.”
Coach Kevin Manero says: “I can’t say enough about the quality kid Zack is. Zack had to battle through an injury in what is – for spring sports teams especially – a very pivotal junior year of recruitment. Zack never wanted to be off the field, and he found every way he could to still compete and be successful even if it wasn’t in all the roles he was always used to. Though Zack’s numbers might have taken a little bit of a step back from his sophomore year to his junior year, his work ethic, his desire and his hunger never did, and that’s how he stayed persistent and landed at Lehigh University, which is a tremendous academic institution but also a (baseball) program where coach (Sean) Leary does a great job, and Zack will have a lot of success there. He’s going to follow in the footsteps of Chris Kersey, a North Penn graduate who went there and also had a fantastic college experience.
“The one thing I want to say about Zack that’s a little different is this – we have an alumni in our baseball program. His name is Dave Livezey – he played baseball at North Penn and graduated in 1957. Dave is a stubborn old rock of a guy. He’s very difficult to please, he’s very old school. He watched Zack as a freshman step in and take over a shortstop role the year after we won a state championship. The kid that played shortstop before Zack hit a game-winning home run in our state semifinal game and was the hero of the season for us that got us in the state title game, which we won. Along comes a little freshman who’s going to be thrust right into the starting lineup to take over for him. Dave Livezey immediately said to me, ‘That kid is going to be good, he’s going to be a great player.’ Whenever Dave would ask me how a game went, the first question he always asked me was ‘How did Zack do?’ Now Dave has a little trouble getting around, so he doesn’t get to games as much anymore. Every time I talk to Dave – the first player he asks about is Zack. When you have an alumni athlete from your program who has very old school, hard-nosed values, if you can impress that person and make that person proud to come watch you play, that is a tremendous accomplishment. I know those are qualities that will carry Zack all the way through both in life and in baseball.”
About Zack:
Favorite food: Shushi
Favorite movie: The Hunger Games
Favorite music: Country
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