Duty calls Daughhetee from Legion to Air Force Academy

Caleb Daughhetee will be leaving the Scott County American Legion baseball team in the coming days, in the middle of a season when the team hopes to contend for the District 14 championship.

Scott County coach Tom Dirnberger couldn't be prouder.

Daughhetee on Wednesday will fly to Colorado Springs, Colo., to begin a five-week basic training program leading into his enrollment at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Daughhetee will have the opportunity to pursue not one but two lifelong dreams -- playing Division I baseball and serving his country.

"Division I baseball has been a dream of mine since I started playing ball as a little kid, since I was old enough to pick up a ball," Daughhetee said. "Even more than professional baseball, I always wanted to play Division I. We would watch the College World Series on TV, and they play with so much heart and emotion."

When it comes to heart, Daughhetee qualifies for Division I.

The 5-foot-7 shortstop and pitcher has left an impression on his coaches and teammates with the effort he puts forth.

"He's just always had the determination that he wants to get better, no matter what, even if he's hitting .500," said Dirnberger, who has coached Daughhetee about most of the last eight years at various levels of summer baseball. "He's always working on his game. ... He's just a team leader, he always has been."

Added Jordan Felter, who played with Daughetee at Kelly High School: "If I had to take one guy anywhere in the world with me, whether it was up a dark alley or to lay out on a sunny beach, it would be Caleb Daughhetee, because he's always going to be there for you.

"His passion for the game is unmatched. He's the first guy here and the last one to leave everyday. He's just a great asset to any team."

Kelly baseball coach Cory Johnson said, "The academy should be a perfect fit for his future. He's out here every day working to make himself and the team better. He puts the time in, is very superior in the classroom, and he's just a great kid and a great leader. Anybody would be lucky to have a kid like that, and I can't say enough about him."

Daughhetee finished his career as a four-year starter at Kelly High School with a batting average right around .500. He hit .455 as a senior with 12 doubles, four triples, three home runs and also was one of the top pitchers for the Hawks, who finished as district runners-up in Class 2. Daughhetee was selected to the All-Southeast Missourian first team as an infielder.

Daughhetee's numbers in the classroom also were impressive. He posted a grade point average of better than 4.0 and ranked fourth in his class of 69 students.

Of course, classroom excellence is one of the requirements for the Air Force Academy.

About 18,000 students apply for an appointment, which must come with the sponsorship of a member of congress, and about 1,000 are accepted.

Daughhetee said his interest in the military can be attributed to his two grandfathers and other relatives that served, but his thoughts of attending one of the service academies weren't piqued until last fall.

"I'd been thinking about the military for a while, but never really said anything to mom or dad," said Caleb. "It came up and I said, 'What about an academy?' And they thought that was awesome. They jumped on board, and we just rode with it."

Daughhetee said his first contact came with the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., but Air Force baseball coach Mike Hutcheon said he had a spot for Daughhetee in his program. The Falcons finished 10-38 after a 26-1 loss to San Diego State at the Mountain West Conference tournament.

"I made an official visit in January. When I first stepped on the academy grounds, I was impressed," Daughhetee said. "They gave me a tour, and I actually had a chance to sit in on some classes. The instructors were just awesome."

While he also looked at more than 20 other schools -- "anything that was a possibility," he said -- in the hopes of playing college baseball, Daughhetee said the Air Force trumped anything else.

He was sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson and also received letters of recommendation from Johnson, Scott City coach Mike Umfleet, Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett and Charleston assistant coach Mike Minner.

"Luckily, I was able to get in," he said. "It's an honor to be accepted."

He intends to major in pre-law with the engineering minor that each graduate obtains. But he said he has not ruled out pilot training. "They say I'm the perfect size at 5-7 1/2," Daughhetee said. Either of those postgraduate options would require 11 years of service, but that's fine with Daughetee.

The key is going to be the first five weeks -- boot camp, when the school's upperclassmen test the physical and mental preparation of the incoming class.

"You learn about academy life and what's expected of you," Daughhetee said. "It's going to be a pretty tough first five weeks. I don't really know what to expect as far as the physical conditioning program. I guess I'll find out when I get there. I've been doing everything I can to get ready. I'm lifting every day and running every day."

Daughhetee added muscle to take his weight to 182 pounds. He made a habit of early morning workouts, getting up at 5:30 each morning before school.

Mentally, Daughhetee also seems prepared. He answers reporters' questions with "Yes, sir" or "No, sir," something he has done since he was little, according to his father, Tom Daughhetee, an assistant coach for the Scott County Legion.

"Caleb's been a really good kid to work with because of his temperament," said Tom. "He seldom gets mad at anything and, if he does, he's over it real quick. He's never doubted authority, always followed what people told him and tried to learn from everything he did."

For that reason, and many others, members of the Scott County Legion team will miss Daughhetee when he departs this month. He has played alongside many of his teammates for several years and helped them win a district title at the junior level in 2004.

"He's a great leader. It's always great to see him in the dugout," Dirnberger said. "It will be a sad day when he leaves."