REFERENCES

Josh Alterman

Title:

Travel Coach

Organization / School:

East Cobb Colt .45s

Phone Number:

404-441-8602

Email:

josh.ecbbaseball@gmail.com

Recommendation:

I have coached Grant for the past two years with the East Cobb Colt 45’s. During that time he had played a huge role in our success. The first thing that comes to mind when it comes to Grant is his maturity. He has a rare understanding of what it takes to be successful as a player, a teammate, and a leader, and he carries that on and off the field. Whether it’s hitting and working out every day, or rehabbing after being hit in the face with a fastball in the high 80’s, he has a toughness about him that is recognizable immediately. He’s not the “rah rah” guy, but instead has a quiet, calm demeanor and leads by example. Athletically, Grant has great length, quick hands, and a strong arm from 3rd base. He has worked to become excellent at reading the ball off the bat and making a quick first step, putting himself in good position to make plays. He has a great understanding of situational baseball, and is one of the rare infielders we don’t need to move around, as he has great spatial awareness of where he needs to be to on every pitch. He can make throws that most kids his age can’t, with the ability to throw on the run on balls hit in front of him and off of his back foot from deep in the hole. At the plate, Grant has worked tirelessly to become an elite hitter and handles high level pitching extremely well. For a tall guy, he also happens to handle the low pitch consistently. He is a constant line drive hitter who finds the barrel more often than not, and has led our team in OBP and has the lowest strike out percentage on our roster. He has the bat to put the ball over the fence, but where he brings real value is his ability to have productive quality ab’s whether or not he gets on base. He has shown the ability to hit the ball to all parts of the field and his hitting chart leans heavy up the middle and to right center. He has also proven to be able to put a bunt down in clutch situations, no matter who he’s up against. He’s a guy we can always trust to do his job at a very high level, day in and day out. Grant happens to have sneaky speed, particularly for a player his size. You may not be blown away by his 60 time, but he gets from home to third in less than 13 seconds, which is a testament to the fact that the kid can absolutely run the bases. He has been toward the top of our roster in stolen bases, and lowest percentage of being picked off or caught stealing. The one thing that sticks out about Grant when you watch him play is his projectability. Although he already has great size, he is nowhere near the top of his game and has higher potential than most players in his class. He is a pleasure to be around and coach, and does what he’s asked to do without a complaint. He will no doubt bring value to a high level college program in and off the field. We’re all very excited for his future. Josh Alterman East Cobb Colt 45’s 404.441.8602 Josh.ecbbaseball@gmail.com

Charlotte Adams

Title:

Church Leader

Organization / School:

Buckhead Church

Phone Number:

404-861-8546

Email:

charlotteadams34@gmail.com

Recommendation:

To Whom It May Concern, I appreciate the opportunity to write a letter of recommendation for Grant Van Rossum. I work with Grant every Sunday morning at Buckhead Church in the area dedicated to elementary age children. I am a coach (volunteer leader) for the 3rd grade, and Grant is a small group leader “reporting” to me. We have been working together weekly for the last two years. I’ve been impressed by Grant from day one of our service together. He is a compassionate, capable, and dedicated leader with the kids he serves. Despite his extremely busy academic and athletic schedule, Grant remains committed to his group and has built solid relationships with his small group members. Most memorable for me when considering Grant’s leadership is a weekend he was playing in a baseball tournament out of town a couple of hours away on a Saturday night. He insisted that his dad make sure he was back in Atlanta, so he could serve on Sunday morning. His dedication to his group and keeping his commitment to Upstreet is really admirable. I also witnessed Grant’s baptism and heard his story of salvation. His relationship with the Lord is the center of his life and where he finds his stability and worth. For these reasons, I believe Grant will be an asset to any college that accepts him. He will not only add to the caliber of leaders a school produces, but he’ll be grounding and steady influence on campus. He will succeed not at the expense of others, rather while advancing others. He is a true servant leader; something our world greatly needs. Thank you, Charlotte Adams

Kaylee Kerr

Title:

Church Leader

Organization / School:

Buckhead Church

Phone Number:

970-302-1383

Email:

kaylee.kerr@northpointministries.net

Recommendation:

To Whom It May Concern: It has been my experience that not many teenagers choose to volunteer on early weekend mornings. It requires the discipline of going to bed at a decent time the night before and sacrificing the ability to sleep late. For the past three years, Grant Van Rossum has chosen to do that and live countercultural to his peers. He has given his Sunday mornings to invest in the faith of the generation behind him. Grant has shown up time and time again for the sake of a group of elementary children coming to know and follow Jesus. He is a leader worth following. Throughout each of his high school years, Grant has led the same group of children in UpStreet, our elementary environment at Buckhead Church, staying with them from 1st through 3rd grade. Each Sunday, he has been responsible for both engaging each child individually and collectively, leading them through various activities and curriculum discussions. They show up to be led by him and to connect with him. He has built lasting relationships with children who look up to him with awe and excitement in their eyes. Anyone who knows Grant also knows that he loves baseball and works hard to refine his skills and contribute to his team's success. Competitive travel baseball requires the commitment of many weekends for tournament play. While this commitment overlapped with his service in UpStreet during certain times of the year, Grant resolved to continue to do both. He communicated which Sundays he would be out and showed up every time he could. It would have been easier to "throw in the towel" with UpStreet, and understandable given his schedule, but Grant never chose what was easier or more convenient. In the time I've known Grant, I've seen him live his faith openly. He is actively pursuing life with Jesus and invites others along with him. I witnessed this as he brought a friend and his brother to experience UpStreet and lead alongside him. In February 2020, Grant took a courageous and obedient step of faith by going public with his belief in Jesus through baptism during a high school gathering. He displayed an amazing example for his peers when he shared his story of God's faithfulness in his life. He shared this with his family, friends, his UpStreet kids, and those he serves alongside every Sunday too. Grant is a light within his sphere of influence and beyond. It is with joy and confidence that I submit this recommendation. Grant Van Rossum will be an incredible addition to any school, campus, and community he chooses. Best Regards, Kaylee Kerr Kaylee Kerr UpStreet Groups Director Buckhead Church buckheadchurch.org | 3336 Peachtree Rd NE ! Atlanta, GA 30326