Starting the college selection process can bring a variety of emotions in a person. Narrowing down a college to choose is a decision that can be consumed by excitement, anxiety, and in some cases, even confusion. Selecting a college begins the journey into a life that is unfamiliar right now, but will shape the direction of someone’s life in the future. On Dec. 23, 2024 Cooper Nider (25) made the decision to commit to Chandler-Gilbert Community College to continue his academic and athletic career.
Nider said, “It feels rewarding that I am being given the opportunity to play at the next level and hopefully eventually transfer to a more competitive school.”
Nider has been a three year starter at Eaton High School. He has been a part of three State Championship teams over the span of his high school baseball career. Nider is also a multi-sport athlete and participates in football for Eaton High School. During his high school football career, he won two state championships and recently hung up his football jersey for good. Being a two sport athlete has been a part of Nider’s high school career and has truly shaped him as a person.
Winning championships in both sports has shown how Nider holds himself as an athlete. Nider said, “I would say that it gives me a winning mentality and knowing that what we did last year doesn’t matter and it’s a new year with the goal of every season making it to state and getting another title. Also continuing the legacy the past teams left and carrying it on for the teams in the future.”
The Chandler-Gilbert NJCAA D2 program in Chandler, Arizona, competes in a wood bat league, setting it apart from other college baseball conferences that predominantly use metal bats. This gives Nider a unique advantage, as success in a league like this is sure to attract attention from larger programs, highlighting his skills in a more traditional, competitive environment.
Nider said, “Personally, I like wood bats more because you can learn a lot more from them. As you can feel miss hits with wood, unlike metal. Also it will help in the future because other coaches will see if a kid can hit good with wood. They know they will hit good or even better with metal because metal bats have more power to them and balls go further.”
While Chandler-Gilbert is a competitive collegiate school, they are a junior college. Allowing Nider to attend for two years, develop, and eventually move to another school. With the new NCAA ruling, Nider’s attendance at a junior college could allow him six years in college, as the new ruling states that junior college attendees will not lose eligibility during these two years.
Nider said, “Playing for Chandler-Gilbert will be a great opportunity to train with a great coaching staff and train at a high level, preparing me for the next steps in my baseball career.”
Located in the heart of Arizona, Chandler-Gilbert offers Nider excellent exposure opportunities. It’s just a 25-minute drive to Tempe, home of Arizona State University, and around 35 minutes to Grand Canyon University. Additionally, Arizona hosts numerous professional baseball teams for spring training, providing even more opportunities for visibility. As collegiate athletes gain success with wood bats, the increased attention from scouts will further enhance Nider’s prospects.
Nider is just shortly three months away from graduating Eaton High School and beginning his collegiate baseball career; leaving friends and family behind to pursue his dreams of playing college baseball. The journey for Nider awaits and the Eaton community continues to support him and hope for his success in Arizona.
