From Touchdowns to High Jumps: Meet Evan Mauritzen
Evan Mauritzen, 14, attends Spring Branch Middle School where he plays a multitude of sports including football, basketball, track and field, and baseball. He's been active in football since 6th grade and picked up track and field in 7th grade, while he's been playing baseball and basketball since he was 5. Evan hopes to continue playing football and baseball at Memorial High School next year.
What Evan enjoys most about sports is the camaraderie of being on a team. He attributes much of his growth and success to Coach Jeff Venghaus.
"Coach Jeff Venghaus coached me in baseball for 7 years and in SBMSA football as well," shared Evan. "He is very supportive. He cares about the game, but also how to make you the best version of yourself. He also taught us to play for the Lord and each other."
George Springer is his sporting hero for his energetic playing style and fun-loving attitude.
Evan's baseball team had the privilege of receiving a hitting lesson from Lance Berkman at the age of 7. His baseball adventures have taken him to tournaments in Gulf Shores, Cooperstown, and Omaha, with Cooperstown being his favorite.
"My favorite season was my 12u baseball season on the Spring Branch Warriors (my former team)," smiled Evan. "I loved my teammates, we grew a lot playing at the Majors level for the first time, and we finished it off with a memorable trip to Cooperstown where we finished 9th out of 68 teams."
Juggling multiple sports comes with its challenges, mainly revolving around managing a tight schedule and late nights, but Evan wouldn't change it for anything. His accolades include being named the Spring Branch Middle School 7th Grade All-Around Athlete in 2023, and he's collected numerous trophies, rings, medals, and ribbons from tournaments.
Looking ahead, Evan dreams of playing football or baseball in college and offers simple advice for aspiring athletes: "Work hard, respect your coaches, and be a good teammate. If you do that, you will succeed."