Peninsula Prep Baseball
There's a rhythm to dance – to music, actually – that compares favorably to the cadence needed to pitch a ballgame. Nate Lafon is fluent in that language, which is why the Mills High senior is one of the best pitchers in the Peninsula Athletic League.
"Being able to have an internal metronome of just keeping that constant beat and having a rhythm, it's perfect for having on the mound," said the Menlo College commit who has won his last two starts, including an 11-strikeout effort on Tuesday against Aragon. "Whenever I see myself start to lose a little bit, I always kind of get back to that internal metronome to center myself and attack the next pitch.
"It's always been there to help me."
Brother Nick Lafon, a speedy centerfielder with a bat that is starting to come around after a slow start to the season, has that rhythm, too. He just doesn't talk about it – or, really, anything.
He's the quiet one. The kid who speaks softly and literally carries a big stick.
"I'm more shy," said the junior.
And that in itself is a contradiction. It goes against everything you'd expect from someone who is perfectly comfortable on stage – either singing a solo or dancing – owning the space. He had the leading role in Mills High's musical performance of "Aladin" earlier this year. He had solos. He danced. He acted his lines. And he shined, in much the same way as he performs on the diamond.
There isn't an ounce of stage fright in this young man, but make no mistake, he is quiet. So, if there is a disconnect, it's merely that he'd prefer that his actions speak far more loudly than his words.
"It comes from my parents," Nick said. "They tell me to just have confidence out there. I've been practicing this stuff for so long, that I can show my talents to other people and do it in a good way."
Marilou and Randy Lafon raised their boys to attack whatever they took part in. Their baseball skills are indisputable. Nate is good enough to draw the attention of an NCAA program, where he'll pitch the next four years while setting himself up for a career in the front office of a professional sports franchise. Nick, meanwhile, hit .439 last season as a sophomore and is trending upward for the second half of the season.
And their dance skills are proving to be equally impressive.
It probably helps that Marilou is the principal and artistic director of Spark of Creation Studio in South San Francisco. Her sons were exposed to dance at an early age.
"We were there ever since our eyes opened," Nate said. "It's always been a safe space for us, to express what me, my brother and my family love to do. It's awesome."
Nate and Nick have excelled in all kinds of dance – tap, jazz, musical theater and hip hop. They take part in competitions and are regulars on the stage. Besides providing that internal rhythm that makes baseball easier, there are also some physical advantages.
"Not only is it fun to do, but it also translates onto the field in things like having that quick first step," Nate said.
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