NAPLES, Fla. – Owen Phypers’ commute from his new home to his new high school took about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, his parents were driving 90 minutes one way to their old jobs near their old home so their son could have the opportunity to attend a private high school with high academic standards and a top-flight baseball program. Their sacrifice did not go unnoticed.
“It made me realize I can’t mess around,” Owen said. “I have to make this worth it.”
Not that Owen messed around at his district school in his hometown of Lake Placid. He was a top student, a member of the National Honor Society, and captain of the baseball team. Yet, he felt he wasn’t reaching his potential in the classroom and on the diamond.
Neither did his parents, Brittany and Drew.
So, last year, the Phypers moved to Bonita Springs, and with the help of a Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO), administered by Step Up For Students, Owen enrolled at St. John Neumann Catholic School in Naples as a junior.
Was it worth it?
Well, as graduation nears, Owen is ranked fourth in the senior class. He is captain of his house (one of four that form Neumann’s student government) and captain of the baseball team. In June, he begins Plebe Summer at the United States Naval Academy, where he will major in engineering and continue his baseball career.
“This school has brought me to where I am now,” Owen said. “I honestly think so.”
Neumann’s baseball program was a big attraction for Owen. Its state-of-the-art facilities, respected coaching staff, and on-field success against some of the top programs in the state draw the attention of Division I-A coaches and Major League Baseball scouts. The Celtics fit what Owen was looking for as a means towards earning a Division I-A scholarship.
A right-handed pitcher, Owen noticed an improvement in every aspect of his game within a month of joining the program.
“I got better at everything,” he said.
His motivation to continue improving increased when a teammate committed to Division I-A power Florida State shortly after Owen enrolled.
“I saw that and said, ‘I want to be that guy,’” he said.
But, as his mom, Brittany said, “Owen loves baseball. But he’s not all baseball.”
Owen grew up on the family farm in Lake Placid, amid cattle pastures, citrus orchards, and caladiums. Lots of caladiums. Lake Placid bills itself as the caladium capital of the world.
But after 52 years, the farm was dissolving, and Drew needed a new line of work. He helped shut down the farm last year before landing a job as a project manager for a construction company in Collier County. Brittany, a teacher, finished the year at the district high school in Lake Placid before taking a teaching position at Neumann this school year.
Hence, the long commutes.
“Owen knew it was a sacrifice for us, both time-consuming and financially, but we were ready to make that sacrifice for him,” Brittany said.
The FES-EO scholarship, managed by Step Up For Students, helped ease some of the financial burden.
“Without a scholarship, we wouldn’t have been able to afford to come here,” Brittany said. “It’s just been life-changing for us. For everyone to be able to apply for it and have that opportunity is wonderful. It gives you an opportunity, and then it’s up to you.”
It wasn’t long after Owen enrolled at Neumann when Brittany knew he would make the best of his opportunity.
“Coming here has just opened his eyes to the fact that there are students that are like him,” Brittany said. “They want to do well in class and have the same moral code and Christian values.
Owen found the academics at his new school just as challenging as the athletics and that inspired him.
“There’s a lot more homework, and classes are a lot harder, and that pushed me,” Owen said. “It really caused me to grow.
“It’s an environment where all the kids want to be here. People want to become better. People grow in their faith, in every aspect of life.”
Neumann is designed to prepare high school students for college.
“It’s not if you go to college, it’s where you’re going to college,” said Neumann Principal Sister Patricia Roche. “That’s the attitude of everyone. This is not the end but the beginning.”
Owen knew he would attend college. The question was, where?
Two years ago, he wasn’t sure if he would garner the attention or develop the skills necessary to play NCAA Division I baseball. Whatever future he had in the game, he certainly didn’t think it would be at the Naval Academy. But the Navy coaches showed an interest in him, and once Owen gave it serious thought, it began to make sense.
He enjoys math, so a career in engineering was always attractive. He considers himself a leader, and the Naval Academy is filled with leaders.
“The main focus of Neumann is getting involved, helping others, which in turn, helps yourself,” Owen said. “I like to lead others, I feel confident leading others, and I saw at the Naval Academy the opportunity to grow as a leader and to support my country in any way.”
Also, Owen added, “I have a couple buddies who are playing baseball in college, and they play baseball, and that’s kind of the only reason they’re there.”
He decided he wasn’t going to be just a baseball player. If he was going to major in engineering, he was going to do it at one of the top engineering colleges in the country.
“For my husband and I, this seems like the natural fit for him,” Brittany said. “He wanted to go somewhere where he was going to play and not sit on the bench, but he also felt like he had worked so hard his whole academic career to make really good grades and test scores, so he wanted to go somewhere that was going to be challenging as well. The value of that education has to be a payoff.”
The Celtic Ball, Neumann’s annual fundraiser, was held in January. Owen was one of the seniors picked to speak in front of the school’s alumni and donors.
“He represents the school well,” Sister Patricia said. “He’s very articulate, and he’s a role model among his peers. He’s a leader, which is good. It’s nice to have athletes who are on the right track.”
Owen spoke about his journey to Neumann and how it led to his journey to the Naval Academy.
And, with a nod toward the tradition that awaits him, he closed the speech with this:
“Go Navy!
Beat Army!”
