Staff Writer

Cougar first baseman Jayme Sperring was born with a glove on one hand and a baseball in the other.

"I started playing organized ball when I was five," Sperring said. "Baseball has always been my primary sport. It is my love, and fortunately I was lucky to be born into it."

Sperring's father played for the Chicago Cubs and the Houston Astros, which may have been a factor in how he became involved in the sport at an early age.

He grew up in Texas with his father Rob and his mother Lana. With the constant support of his family, all of his talents and aspirations came together at Cypress Creek High School in Houston.

He led his team to a 23-4 season record and an undefeated District 16-5A championship in 1997 that earned him the honor of being a first-team-all-state selection.

Winning and personal achievements are not all the experiences he learned through high school.

He learned a lot from his high school coach David Hall. Sperring said that he learned more from him than just baseball and sports. He said he inspired him to do things better in life. Unfortunately, right before the first playoff game in his senior year, his coach passed away due to cancer.

"He was a very inspirational coach," Sperring said. "We were ready for the playoff game and then we heard, and that just took the breath out of us."

During his recruitment by Houston and TCU, everything pointed in the direction of Houston. With the top-of-the-line athletic facility and its proximity to home, he was able to sign before his senior year.

"You can't beat the coaches, and nothing else compares with the baseball facilities here," Sperring said.

He is a student of the game and is always trying to learn more, like his favorite player Mark McGuire of the Saint Louis Cardinals.

"We play the same position, and he has a lot of power," Sperring said. "Frank Thomas and him are the kind of guys I would like my game to be like."

He dreams, just like every other guy, to become one day a professional baseball player, and for Jayme that means following the same dream that landed his father in the big leagues 20 years ago.

The college life has not affected this 19-year-old one bit. He knows the pressures of being a student athlete and is ready to deal with them.

"I definitely have to work harder since we miss a lot of classes," he said.

"Starting as a freshman brings it's own pressures, but I try not to think about any of them."

With the Cougars at 10-8 in the young season, he believes UH's best baseball is yet to be played.

"Now that were on a winning streak, everything is coming together," he said. "We're ready to take this momentum into to conference and match what happened last season (NCAA Regional appearance)."