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Despite his time-consuming athletic commitments in a high travel sport like baseball and heavy academic course load, majoring in economics, one of his university’s most grueling majors, Avila could not say no to this boy. His disposition as a studentathlete would not allow him to.
“I think that we as athletes have the obligation to use our elevated status to really make a difference, to really do things outside of sports,” says Avila, Northwestern’s junior centerfielder. “So that has been kind of my goal ever since I came to college. After I leave after four years, I want to be known for more than what I did on the baseball field.”
This season, Avila has one of the team’s highest batting averages at .280, notching 40 hits and 11 RBIs in the first 47 games. But he will certainly be known for his many hits off the field, particularly his continuous involvement volunteering in the community.
He has volunteered at a Christian youth camp, in a Buddy Ball game with disabled and special education children, and at a sports day at a local elementary school. He has read to children in classrooms at local schools and helped out at a Halloween festival. And he will be recognized for his exceptional work in his own Northwestern classrooms. The Texas native has earned a 3.43 grade point average and was honored as Academic All-Big Ten selection in 2008.
