CRESTVIEW — A few days ago a relaxed Dakota Dean plopped on a soft sofa in the Crestview High School baseball team’s clubhouse.
The 2013 CHS graduate was back home after helping to lead Northwest Florida State College's baseball team to its first national championship at the May 30 Junior College World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.
“It feels really goodfor our program bringing the first national championship back to Okaloosa County and the Niceville-Crestview area,” he said.
'YOU CAN'T WRITE IT UP'
Dean had plenty to smile about. He was coming off arguably his best game ever in what was no doubt the biggest game of his career on the biggest stage.
Dean was 4-for-6 with two home runs, and drove in six runs in the championship game. He finished the series with a team-best 12 hits and 11 runs batted in.
He had not hit a home run all season going into the championship game, and Raider Coach Doug Martin let him know about it.
“Coach Martin was ragging me about not hitting any home runs in the season,” Dean said. “‘I was like, if I run into it (get a good swing for a home run), I run into it.’
“I ran into two balls, which is pretty neat. You can’t write it up any better than that. You can’t set the table any better.”
'IT WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE'
Dean had his own explanation for why his hitting improved in the tournament.
“I don’t know if I was seeing the ball, so much as it was having my swing come back the way it was in the fall,” he said. “I hit like .450 in the fall.
“It was just the determination and everything, too — the focus. It was just unbelievable. I was seeing it (the baseball) like a beach ball.
Baseball has never been more enjoyable than it was in the Grand Junction, Dean said.
“I had a blast,” he said. “I had never been out there to Colorado and the mountains. That was an experience itself with the atmosphere and everybody there.
“Coming to junior college, you don’t play in front of very many fans anymore. But going there, we had about 10,000 people every night. It was a great atmosphere to be in.”
'EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON'
Dean started his college career at Louisiana State, where his older brother, Blake, a 2006 CHS graduate, was an All-American and member of LSU’s 2009 National Championship team.
Things didn’t go as planned for Dakota his freshman year, so he transferred to a junior college for his sophomore year with hopes of returning to a Division I school his junior year. Dean had his choice of junior college programs to attend, but he decided on Northwest Florida.
“It was definitely to be back home close to my family,” he said. “I could have gone to Tallahassee (Community College) or Chipola (State College), but I wanted to come back here and see if we could do something. When I left LSU, I knew everything happens for a reason and I was just going to go home for a reason.
“The way Coach Martin was telling me about the team that he had coming up, I knew we were going to be all right. And when I saw how we were in the fall, I knew we were all here for a reason and we were about to be pretty good this year.”
'JUST DOING THE JOB'
Some players are natural leaders — Dean is one of those players. Crestview baseball Coach Tim Gillis can talk for hours about Dean’s leadership qualities. And Baker football Coach Matt Brunson, who was the Bulldog coach when Dean was a freshman, said Dean stood out as a leader even on Crestview’s freshman team.
Dean emerged as a leader of the Raider team, but he downplays his role.
“… At the end of a day, I’m just another player just doing the job for my guys,” he said. “I’m trying to get my job done just as much for them and I’m trying to help my team.
“In a team sport, it’s not about yourself, it’s about the guys around you. The way I look at it is when I build them up it will make me look better. And when they are doing good, it’s just going to make them look better.”
NO RUSH TO SIGN
Sometime in the next week or two, Dean will chart the path of his baseball journey. He already has several offers from four-year programs, but he’s in no hurry to make a decision.
The 2015 Major League Baseball Draft started Monday and ends today. If things go as they usually do, several schools will be scrambling for quality players after their rosters and signing classes take hits in the draft.
“Nobody really knows what kind of (scholarship) money they are going to have until the draft,” Dean said. “I told everybody my options are wide open. I’m going to wait for the draft and see what’s best for me.
“It’s all working out good. I’m not in a rush. I rushed once (signing with LSU) just to go to the big school.”
Dean is hesitant to name his dream school; regardless of how that works out, he’ll have several opportunities to play at a Division I school.
'GOD HAS BLESSED OUR FAMILY'
Not many families have one son play on a national championship team, but the Deans have two.
“God has blessed our family abundantly,” Dean said. “The World Series has opened a lot of doors for my brother after he won. I feel like it’s going to open a lot of doors for me, too.
“He just blesses us and continues to bless our family to do it. It’s awesome.”
EmailNews Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Dean eyes future after leading NWFSC baseball team to first national championship