Class of 2016 spotlight: Dorsey grad’s fields of dreams extend to baseball, medicine

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Class of 2016 spotlight: Dorsey grad’s fields of dreams extend to baseball, medicine

By Office of Communications | Jun 8, 2016 | Achievements, Athletics, College/Careers, I believe in LAUSD, Schools, Students

This is part of a series of stories about outstanding members of the Class of 2016.

By Gayle Pollard-Terry Office of Communications

Alex Madueke, student body president of Dorsey High and captain of the Dons baseball team, wants to play shortstop in the Majors.  But just in case his MLB dreams don’t come true, he plans to major in biology at Benedict College, with the long-term goal of becoming a doctor. His athletic prowess and 3.5 grade-point average earned him a full scholarship to the historically black school in Columbia, S.C.

“He’s worked hard from the time I first met him.” said Dorsey baseball coach Pete Dobson. “I’ve known him since he was 8 years old, and I was coaching him in Little League. I’ve watched him grow from a minnow to Moby Dick.”

Madueke started his high school career at University High, which offered a marine biology class.

“Science has always been fascinating,” he said. “You learn about life. You learn about things around you,and how they work.”

But the allure of baseball drew him to Dorsey, where he joined the varsity team as a second-semester freshman. The next year, when Madueke was a sophomore, Dorsey won the City Section Championship for the first time since 1958.

His junior year, Madueke batted .628 and made all 25 stolen base attempts. In the Dons’ 21-11 victory over King-Drew High School, he hit a double, a triple and a grand slam home run.

Madueke never had any thought of running for president of the Associated Student Body until he was recruited by a group of special-needs classmates.

“My teammates and I work as mentors and coaches for kids with disabilities,” he said. “I worked with them for about two years, and one day they called me into a classroom and asked me if I would run for ASB president.”

“They kicked off his campaign,” Dobson said. “They put up signs all around the school to get him elected.”

Madueke and other baseball players coached a soccer team of Dorsey students who have disabilities, part of an inclusive, adaptive physical education program. In December, that undefeated soccer team was slated to play Venice High School on the same day the baseball team was scheduled to compete in the semifinals of a tournament. As team captain, Madueke called for a vote of his baseball team. The players decided to forfeit the first game of the baseball tournament and to support the soccer team, which won the championship.

“Alex will make a sacrifice,” Dobson said. “He’ll give himself up for somebody else.”