By Sean Duncan

Growing up in northwest Arkansas, David Petrino has always commanded the limelight on the baseball field. At the plate, the 5-foot-9, 175-pound Petrino hits with the best of them; and on the mound, not many 14-year-olds are touching his 80-82 mph fastball.

But over Labor Day weekend, Petrino’s baseball perspective changed. Petrino was just one of many standout players from all over the country who had advanced to the final National Team Identification Series (NTIS) tryout, all competing for a roster spot on the 14-year-old USA National Team in Jupiter, Fla.

“It was intimidating,” said Petrino, a switch-hitting shortstop and right-handed pitcher from Lowell, Ark. “All the USA coaches were watching your every move; it was very nerve-wracking to say the least.”

Petrino said after the first day of the three-day tryout, he worked through his jitters and began to play his game. Still, when he left the event, he had no idea where he stood among the best players in the country.

He got his answer shortly after when a USA Baseball representative called. Of the thousands of players who tried out during the Amateur Baseball Report's NTIS Series, Petrino was one of 24 players to earn a roster spot to compete in the all-paid-expenses Pan Am qualifier in Guatemala City, Guatemala on Nov. 28.

“I went into this thinking it was just a huge honor to be selected to make it out to the tryout,” he said. “When I got chosen, I was really happy … stunned, I guess you can say.

“It feels great. Every time I think about it now I get the chills, because not many kids get to do this. With so many kids trying out, and for them to choose me, is such an honor. Just to say I’m representing the United States at 14 years old in Guatemala is really unbelievable. I can’t even believe it.”

Todd Fine, who was Petrino’s USA coach at the final Florida tryout, said that Petrino brought more than just an impressive skill package.

“David is obviously a very good player, or else he wouldn’t have been selected to be on the team,” Fine said. “But what really impressed all the coaches was his approach to the game. David played hard all the time. He understands the game – certainly more than most 14-year-olds. He gets after it and has fun on the field.

“I ran a lot of the Amateur Baseball Report NTIS tryout camps across the country, and David really stuck out, not only because of his immense talent, but by how he approaches the game.”