PLAIN CITY, UT — The energy in the Plain City Elementary gymnasium was electric today as our Panthers welcomed three very special guests: Ogden Raptors baseball players Nico Saltaformaggio (#12), Tyler Ganus (#13), and Jonathan Ramallo (#15). The players knocked it out of the park, taking time out of their season to host a school-wide assembly focused on three key ingredients for success: Reading, Resiliency, and Teamwork.
Connecting the Diamond to the Desk
The assembly kicked off with a discussion on how reading and baseball go hand in hand. Plain City students quickly picked up on the connections, sharing that both sports and books require practice, both get more fun the better you get, and sometimes a great book—just like a great game—is so good you simply don't want it to end!
The players shared some of their favorite childhood books, giving shout-outs to hits like Captain Underpants, Harry Potter, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and James Clear's Atomic Habits. They also took a moment to express gratitude for their own past teachers who supported them, encouraged their love for baseball, and pushed them to keep learning.
Outfielder Tyler Ganus shared an inspiring milestone with the students: he recently published his own book, Mastering Your Mind.
"It took me two years of writing down everything I’ve learned about baseball," Ganus told the audience. "It took a lot of tries, but writing it was such a fun experience because now I can pass that knowledge on to others."
His takeaway for our Panthers? You can be sporty and love to read at the same time—and the more you read, the more opportunities you open up for your future.
Bouncing Back: The Power of Resiliency
When the topic turned to resiliency, the players spoke candidly about handling failure on and off the field.
One of the Raptors' pitchers opened up about a particularly tough outing on the mound: "I had a rough game. I felt like I failed and let my team down. But the next morning, I woke up, showed up, and tried again. I chose to learn from that experience so I could get better."
The team's closing pitcher built on that message, describing what it’s like to enter a high-pressure game where one mistake could mean a loss. His secret? "Be where your feet are. Don't get stuck inside your head, and just focus on getting a little bit better every single day."
We Are All on the Same Team
To wrap up the event, the players emphasized that whether you are wearing a baseball uniform or walking the halls at school, success comes down to being a good teammate.
Our students chimed in with wonderful advice on how to show good sportsmanship—like listening to coaches, being kind, and showing respect to the opposing team. The players reminded everyone that being a great teammate means caring about others, not just yourself, and simply being a good person.
As the assembly drew to a close, our Panthers learned that even professional baseball players make time to read every night. We are so proud of our students for engaging with our community guests, and we send a huge Panther Thank You to Nico, Tyler, and Jonathan for demonstrating what true leadership looks like!