St. Peter's Prep shortstop T.J. Ward commits to Temple University

After months of stressing over which school would be the best place to continue his promising baseball career, St. Peter?s Prep shortstop T.J. Ward was more than happy to finally make his decision.

On Thursday, the rising senior committed to Temple University, selecting the Owls over the University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth University, New Jersey Institute of Technology and Long Island University.

?I got the opportunity to visit Temple twice and I became very comfortable with the school and the coaches,? said Ward, a lifelong Jersey City resident. ?I just wanted to get it over with, and it?s nice to get it done early so I can look forward to and enjoy my senior season.?

Ward has spent the last few months visiting schools, talking to coaches, and trying to make his final decision. Now that he has settled on Temple, a huge weight has been lifted off Ward?s shoulders.

?It was very stressful on me and my family at times,? said Ward. ?Going back and forth and trying to make the final decision was very tough, but now that it?s over, I?m very excited.

?Now I can just go out and play to have fun and not worry about what coaches are in the stands watching me.?

The reasoning behind the decision was simple: Ward has always wanted to play the sport he loves at the highest collegiate level.

Temple joined the American Athletic Conference earlier in 2013, a conference that features prominent baseball programs such as East Carolina University, the University of Connecticut, the University of Central Florida, and Tulane University, among others.

?Temple is a program on the rise,? said Ward. ?I?m going get the chance to do something I?ve always wanted and that?s get the opportunity to play big-time college baseball.?

Ward?s commitment was an especially proud moment for St. Peter?s Prep manager Pat Laguerre, who not only coaches Ward on the diamond but served as his shortstop?s confirmation sponsor a few years back.

?It?s always great to see any kid fulfill their lifelong dream,? said Laguerre, who is a longtime friend of the Ward family. ?Temple is an excellent school and a great program, so I?m extremely proud to see him be rewarded for all the hard work he has put in on the field and in the classroom.

?I?ve known T.J. all of his life and it has been a privilege to coach him and see him mature as a baseball player and as a person.?

Coming off a season in which the Marauders won the Ed Ford Memorial Baseball Tournament and finished sixth in The Star-Ledger top 20, Ward was named first team All-Hudson County, as well as second team All-Non-Public. He finished his junior season with a .430 batting average, while stroking four home runs, scoring 31 runs and registering 28 RBI.

?He?s only 17 and he?s only scratched the surface of how good he can be,? said Laguerre. ?He?s definitely the leader of our team and I believe he is the best player in our league, so we?re going to expect even more from him this season.?

Heading into his senior year and having already been an All-County player, Ward is ready to take on that role of being his team?s leader. After getting his long-awaited college commitment out of the way, he can now focus on the high goals he is has set for St. Peter?s Prep in 2014.

?We want to win another county title and maybe even a state championship as well,? said Ward. ?We know we have the talent, we just have to put it all together.?

Source: http://blog.nj.com/hudsonhssports/2013/08/st_peters_prep_shortstop_tj_wa.html

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