Nick Bohenek. Just Getting Started

Riverside Senior Nick Bohenek looks like your typical baseball player.

The cool demeanor he shows on the pitcher's mound to escape a jam. The way he glides to run down a ball in the outfield. His smooth swing in the batter's box.

One can't tell that he has a birth defect.

Bohenek was born with just two fingers on his left hand. Yet that hasn't stopped him from doing anything, particularly excelling on the baseball diamond where he helped the Vikings capture the district 2 Class 3A title and advance to the PIAA playoffs. They will face District 4 champion Hughesville in the first round Monday at 4 p.m. at Bowman Field in Williamsport.

"I really don't look at it as a disability," Bohenek said. "Actually, I forget that I just have one hand. I'm so used to it and I don't let it hold me back in anything."

Every player has a moment where the game asks who they are.

Nick shows you in the swing…  
in the glove work…  
in the hustle that never slows down.

Pressure doesn’t shake him.  
It sharpens him.

This is discipline.  
This is character.  
This is a player becoming who he was meant to be.

Nick Bohenek.  
Just getting started.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Hi everybody, it's Mimi from Beheard Empire Yourself. And I'm doing some I actually did do this before. It's not the first time. I have a relative on the show. I've had a daughter and a niece. And today I have a grandson. And I'm not allowed to say he's my favorite because, you know, I'm to say that. Hi, Nick. Say hi to everybody.

SPEAKER_02 0:31

How's it going, everyone?

SPEAKER_01 0:33

Hi. So Nick is into baseball. And when I say into baseball, I mean it is his life and has been his life for a long time. And I'm just gonna lead up to the story. So, Nick, what first got you into baseball when you're growing up in the Music Taylor area?

SPEAKER_02 0:57

Oh well, definitely I used to play in the backyard with my father all the time. We would hit like little foam balls. I'd get like a real metal bat and even a woof ball bat, too. And then just growing up, we'd go out there, I'd be hitting bombs, you know, in the yard around my dog.

SPEAKER_01 1:15

So when did you realize though that sports were going to be a big part of your life?

SPEAKER_02 1:22

I probably realized it when I would always think about it, and like I actually enjoyed it, and the outcome when I would do something good was like very rewarding. So it just made me hungry and wanted more of that.

SPEAKER_01 1:36

Sounds good. So who were the biggest influences on you as a young athlete?

SPEAKER_02 1:42

Oh I would say Jim Abbott. She's a former Yankees pitcher, and he had one hand.

SPEAKER_01 1:51

And you were born with only two fingers on your left hand.

SPEAKER_02 1:56

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:58

And so I can see the connection that you would have between Abbott and to put a little personal thing in there. Of course, when you know when a baby is born, that they have the same, oh, ten fingers and ten toes, he's perfect, you know.

SPEAKER_02 2:16

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:18

So your mom was like crying and very upset. And I said, No, no, no, no, no. He's he's more than perfect. This kid is gonna be special. So was there was there moment you realized that that wasn't going to hold you back?

SPEAKER_02 2:39

Probably when my started like not letting me off the hook with things when I would always make excuses saying I can't do this, can't do that, and then she would tell me I could and I'd do it. And then I was like, Oh, maybe I really could do this stuff.

SPEAKER_01 2:55

She's great. I know her. She is I remember you were oh god, you're two, three, very young, and you were into sports already, you know. You would, you know, and soccer too. It wasn't just uh baseball, basketball, and funny story, we went to uh I don't know, some gym, and it was a kids' thing for little little kids, and they have a basketball hoop and they lowered it so the kids could get the basket in. And you were in line, and you probably remember this, and your first time up basket, the ball went right in the basket. Yeah, and we were sitting there, your father, your mother, your grandfather, me maybe your entrina, I don't remember, a bunch of us family, and you got back, and then you went back to the line end of the line, that's how they were doing it, and all the kids weren't making baskets, you know. So now you come to the basket again. Again, you're probably two and a half. Ball goes in the basket. Yeah, you come over to the bench and you look at us and say, I make a basket. When the ball goes in the basket, you clap and you clap and you clap and you clap, well, that is spiritual. You remember that? You remember that? I thought that was hysterical, and I thought it was appropriate that you should say that, but for your age, it was really funny. Yeah, so it didn't hold you back. You were into it, it it showed since you were a baby. So what would you say like to younger athletes that have their own challenges?

SPEAKER_02 4:51

Yeah, no, I would definitely say honestly, use that to your like advantage. Like it should motivate you to want to do something like better and great than uh like all these other people that are like normal or aren't at a disadvantage. Because then you just like you prove something like, oh, I could do this and I have a disadvantage.

SPEAKER_00 5:10

There's no normal, it's no normal normal. No, no, there's no, but I you're right.

SPEAKER_01 5:16

And I mean I've seen like all kinds of disabled people playing all kinds of sports. And I was I think I just saw a hockey game the other day, and and they were in wheelchairs, and I was like, whoa.

SPEAKER_00 5:29

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:30

I mean, that's a sight. That was amazing. So you pitch, you hit, and you play the outer field. Of course, yes. Of course, like everybody can do that. So, which role feels the most natural for you right now?

SPEAKER_02 5:49

Definitely pitching, because that's what I'm gonna go for in college. It's just it's easy. It just means I mainly use my right hand, anyways, but hitting I was also doing good too. I had our first season opener and hit a home run.

SPEAKER_01 6:04

I saw it.

SPEAKER_02 6:06

Yeah, I know you saw it. I love it. That's why I'm gonna be able to do it. But when I when I'm on the mound, I just feel dominant. I just I feel like I'm some confident man that just wants to get in there and get the job done. Yeah, you know what they say, the mound is the happy place.

SPEAKER_01 6:24

Yeah, and what part of of your game has improved the most over the last year?

SPEAKER_02 6:29

Oh honestly, hitting. I really like not even from last year, like in Little Lee. I used to be this undersized kid. I would get hit, but like I was bad at righty at one point, and then I switched over because I realized that it'd be easier if I hit lefty with my right hand on the bottom and all that. So yeah, I switched over to lefty, and then ever since then I've been getting better and better, stronger. I'm in the the weight room all the time, three to five times a week. Yeah, so yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:58

So bad. So you can you you can bat with either hand.

SPEAKER_02 7:03

Well, you bat with both. You can I could I could switch it though, but I haven't hit righty in forever.

SPEAKER_01 7:10

Okay, but you're capable of it.

SPEAKER_02 7:12

I could, yeah. It won't be pretty, but I could. I still got it engraved in my mind.

SPEAKER_01 7:19

What hand do you pitch with?

SPEAKER_02 7:22

Uh my right hand.

SPEAKER_01 7:24

Okay, and tell tell me the story about the company that made you that special co-op.

SPEAKER_02 7:30

Oh yeah. So I think it was we were in coach pitch the one year, and we realized like my glove, like anytime a ball was starting to get hit harder and harder because everyone was getting older, it would just fall off. And I I was playing the pitcher's map and I would scoop everything up. I was doing so good. And then when I just played like normal catch, it would come off. So then the one guy in the stands, my mom knows, knew someone that knew Marut Mizuno, and they worked something out. And I was there was a couple like trial and errors where the one, like my first ever one, it was good, but the strap, like, it wasn't there yet. And then the next one it fit perfect. So then ever since that I've just been getting gloves made by Mizuno.

SPEAKER_01 8:16

Oh, so that so this is like a Japanese company or is it?

SPEAKER_02 8:21

Uh yeah, I think I think Mizuno is Japanese.

SPEAKER_01 8:23

I don't know. And they make gloves. And they what did they have to do? Didn't they have to make some kind of a caster or mold?

SPEAKER_02 8:30

Oh, yeah, that I remember right. Yeah, they had to fit my hand. I think that was part of the prototype. Yeah, and that now then they just had to make a yeah, now they just stitch like uh a band like a like a strap and I just strap it on right before I pitch and boom.

SPEAKER_01 8:46

Yeah. So I've been hearing from other news people and journalists that you're pretty unshakable out there.

SPEAKER_02 8:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:56

On the mound. So how do you how do you stay motivated though if you're having like a tough stretch or a slump?

SPEAKER_02 9:05

Well, because I know people, anyone is gonna gonna fail, like the major leagues. You can bat 300, three out of 10 times, you're getting a hit, and that's successful. So like baseball is just a game of failure, it really is. Like everyone's gonna fail. There's guys throwing 100 miles per hour lineup home runs, giving up hits, like it's gonna happen. It's just a game. Yeah, it's gonna be mentally strong up here.

SPEAKER_01 9:31

You and you are, that's for sure. So, what does a typical training day look like for you?

SPEAKER_02 9:39

Like a school day or just like oh wait, if it's like let's just say, let's just go weekend. Weekend I'll wake up, typically go to the gym, either do upper or lower or full body if I haven't lifted in a minute. And then I like to do well, I do like a really big stretch before that. I really like to stretch. That's like a key because mobility is like really good when it comes to the pitching, and then at nighttime I'll do some soft tissue work, I'll roll out, lacrosse ball, all that, and then just do some like breathing work.

SPEAKER_01 10:10

Yeah, and you go to the gym and you almost have it a gym in your own house, right?

SPEAKER_00 10:16

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 10:17

You do, you do. You have a room that's set up as a gym, that's amazing, and you play soccer.

SPEAKER_02 10:26

Yeah, I play played soccer my whole life. I ran cross country, I did golf, do all that.

SPEAKER_01 10:36

I know you actually crashed a golf cart once.

SPEAKER_02 10:40

All right, that's off topic.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

I know, I know it's tough when the person knows you too well. So let's get off that. All right. So, as far as coaches, we've had a lot of coaches. And you've been doing this since you're little. What's the best piece of advice a coach has ever given you?

SPEAKER_02 11:01

Um, well, honestly, just I'm not getting babied. I never got babied, like, not even just because my just our whole team, we would never get babied. We got treated like men. We were 12 years old getting treated like 25-year-olds, like adults, because it would just get us mentally tough just because baseball is a mentally draining sport. So he knew that's that would get us strong, which made me who I am today.

SPEAKER_01 11:27

Oh, and you are something, baby. So, how does the soccer help your baseball game?

SPEAKER_02 11:37

Um, just endurance mainly, just athleticism, running around, sprinting, just getting the heart rate up, just moving, being an athlete. Because on the mound, you can't be a big block. You gotta be able to move, get in positions you don't want to.

SPEAKER_01 11:54

They're fast. Yeah, you run. Yeah. So how does it feel to represent your high school and your your town? Because you're getting well known around the United States.

SPEAKER_02 12:09

Yeah, no. So how does it be?

SPEAKER_01 12:22

Yeah. Yes. So what are your about your senior, you're graduating, you're 18, and yeah, what are your goals for your senior season?

SPEAKER_02 12:35

Oh, definitely win the league, win districts, that's the goal. Maybe make all region, that's the goal. So yeah. You have goals, and you're I honestly go ahead. I really want to do really good in hitting too this year.

SPEAKER_01 12:51

Improve the hitting.

SPEAKER_02 12:52

Yeah. Well, last year I had one of the highest batting averages on the team.

SPEAKER_01 12:56

Yeah, but your pitching is exceptional. Your pitching is exceptional. I mean, I I know for a fact that sometimes the other team will look over and see that you're the pitcher and they go, oh boy. Yeah, you do have an effect. So you're going to college and you got accepted at Wagner, okay? College in New York, and you got a partial scholarship. I don't know how what they did.

SPEAKER_02 13:28

Yeah, I got I got a good amount.

SPEAKER_01 13:30

Yeah. You got some of your money will be paid. But I'm not worried about you. And I'm gonna tell people that you do a lot of things and you're very good with money.

SPEAKER_00 13:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:44

Um, you actually dabble in the stock market, correct?

SPEAKER_02 13:48

Yes, yes, of course.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

You do, and uh, you've made a few bucks in the stock market, yes, and you have it put away, I'm sure.

SPEAKER_02 14:01

Oh, it's it's always in it. I've never taken it out of the market.

SPEAKER_01 14:03

Oh, we're not taking it out. No, but if you need it, you could take it out.

SPEAKER_02 14:07

Yeah, I can't let money sit. There's no point, it's just gonna get devalued. You're great, it's gonna go down.

SPEAKER_01 14:15

You're great. And now that you know, years ago when you were in college, you couldn't take any money from an advertiser or you'd lose your scholarship.

SPEAKER_00 14:27

And I am, yes.

SPEAKER_01 14:29

Yeah, and only pros could. And finally they said that's not fair. So now you could actually get approached by an IE or some, you know, small and what do you think about that? Is that in your mind at all?

SPEAKER_02 14:43

Oh, I would love that. Definitely when I get to college, I'm gonna reach out to a bunch of companies to see if I could sponsor them and promote them.

SPEAKER_01 14:53

Yeah, send them. You just send them a video of you pitching and batting. And um, I think you have a really, really great chance of that. So, college level sports. Now, this is a different ball game. Yes, I made a pun.

SPEAKER_00 15:10

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:11

Yes, I made a pun, people. So it's a different ball game. So are you nervous about it or are you kind of I'm definitely gonna be nervous because I don't know what to expect.

SPEAKER_02 15:22

But I'm not really nervous about the baseball aspect, I'm more worried about just college and just keeping up with schoolwork and baseball, trying to get like definitely want to get a lot of internships.

SPEAKER_01 15:33

But you've done it in your high school years, you've been on the honor role many times. Of course, yes, yes. In fact, you're not a society, right? Yes, yeah. So you are capable of doing that, okay? Yeah, all right. Just want people to know that you're an all-around American boy. So if you could describe your future in one sentence, what would it be? Oh, that's a good one.

SPEAKER_02 16:11

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:12

I like that. I like that. So here's here's here's a funny one. So sometimes pitchers in their head, they have what's called a walk-up song. So as they're walking up to the pit a pitching mound in their mind or have that song. Do you have one?

SPEAKER_02 16:30

Um, not maybe like no, I would definitely I would probably just play like an artist like Travis Scott or like Dream. Yeah, definitely, yeah, just something that has like a good B, I'm singing, just with the rhythm, because pitching is all about rhythm.

SPEAKER_01 16:46

Yeah, there's gotta be so you're not singing I'm too sexy for this mount. No, it's your drama this bad. So who is your favorite MLB player to watch?

SPEAKER_02 17:01

Oh, I would say uh Brian Woo. I don't know him. What team is he's a pitcher for the Mariners? The Mariners. I think it's Brian Wu, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:15

And who's what's your favorite baseball team?

SPEAKER_02 17:18

Uh the Dodgers.

SPEAKER_01 17:21

So let's say you get through well, you get through college and now the pro thing comes along. Is there a team that you would like to play for?

SPEAKER_02 17:32

I'd play for anything. Oh, so you don't have a favorite?

SPEAKER_01 17:36

No. Okay. Well, don't go too far away. Like, don't play for the Dodgers or anything. No. A search, you probably know this story that they used to be in Brooklyn. They were the Brooklyn Dodgers. Yeah. When I was a kid, I used to watch baseball on the TV while I was putting laundry away. And I loved the Brooklyn Dodgers. And everybody in uh Pennsylvania did, because it was close. And when they went to Los Angeles, the hate was thrown.

SPEAKER_02 18:10

Yeah, I couldn't imagine.

SPEAKER_01 18:12

And people my age, we're we still have that resentment. Yeah. If they went from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, the dogs. So if you weren't playing sports, what do you think you'd be doing?

SPEAKER_02 18:28

Ooh, that's a good question. What would I be doing? I don't even know. I mean, I definitely would love just exercise, running, lifting.

SPEAKER_01 18:38

It'd be a sport, but that's a sport.

SPEAKER_02 18:41

I mean, I guess uh, I would just be learning about finance and money and how money works. Definitely real estate. I'm really into real estate.

SPEAKER_01 18:49

Okay, so business. You'd really get into business, right? Oh, that's amazing. So, by the way, you know, I made a couple bucks myself from your tip. And I'm like, I tell my my friends want to know, and I go, no. He said, Don't tell your friends. I'm gonna tell you stuff, but you tell your friends. And every time it makes a couple hundred dollars, I do take that out and put it in the savings, but I keep that 100 in there, Nick. Yeah, I watch it go up and down, but I've made some books on it, and I'm saying because it's a it's a tech stock. And who was it? Was it Bill Gates just yesterday? Said the three businesses that'll survive AI, right? That uh it's like cybersecurity, yeah, and you know, technology, of course. Yeah, so this is a a tech company, so I'm sticking with it. Um yeah. So what's one thing people would be surprised to learn about you? Or are you book?

SPEAKER_02 20:04

I don't try to think. I'm just I'm so good at like like little like games like ping pong, like any like game I could like easily pick up on it and like so you can go to the easy when it I mean. Yeah. Wow, wow. I can play I also can play video games on one hand.

SPEAKER_01 20:28

Yeah, well, you have you know, the thing with any disability is it's better to be born with it.

SPEAKER_02 20:37

Oh yeah, yeah, because yeah, you have time to adapt. Some people just it yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:45

Well, before I retired, that was my job. I was an independent living teacher, and I taught people with disabilities, paraplegics, all kinds of disabilities, how to live alone in their own apartment. Yeah, and they were in nursing homes because of their families being afraid. And I never had anybody yawn on my my podcast before. And not that boring.

SPEAKER_02 21:15

You're just I have practiced that eight.

SPEAKER_01 21:17

You're just you were just getting more air to talk to me. So they would get very upset. I mean, I had a woman that she couldn't use her arms or anything and uh she couldn't speak, and I got her computer that she could access with a stick that was around her head, yeah, and the first thing she typed was people think I'm stupid, but I'm not. And that woman, she had her own little apartment and she could open the door, she'd do everything. She was so happy. So I know, I know that people with disabilities are capable of doing anything, you know. Um and you, my darling. I can't I'm not gonna brag because I am your grandmother, so shut up about that. But what do you think of that? There's a there's a sportscaster, Stephen Smith is. Stephen Smith? Yeah. What do you think of him?

SPEAKER_02 22:18

I think he's hilarious.

SPEAKER_01 22:19

He's hilarious, I know. And they just found out they just found out that he he has another career that they didn't know about. They're trying to think what it is. Oh, he's on a soap opera. They found out that he's on a soap opera, and nobody noticed, and he's been on it for years. I think it's really funny. So, okay, you're you got you got Wall Street down it down the block there in your eye, and you got the baseball, you know, like you're really you're on your path, right? So is there anything I left out that you want to tell our viewers? Is there anything you left out that you might want to say to your viewers? Okay, we're losing them. Where'd you go, honey? You're there. I can see you, I can hear you. Okay, I think his sound is not good. So we're gonna wrap it up. This was a great interview, and uh you're gonna be an inspiration to a lot of young people growing up today and doing sports and seeing it as a career. So, Nick, I wanna thank you very much for being on this podcast and wish you all the luck in the future. Okay, you could say goodbye. Oh, it sounds totally gone. Are you wave? Wave goodbye. All right, guys. I hope you enjoyed it. This will be on YouTube and it'll be everywhere and you can listen anywhere you listen to your podcast. All right, go out there, guys. Ram wife.