A Father & Son and their Passion and Shared Bond Over Baseball

GIRARD, KS — A bond between a father and son can be centered around anything. And for Dan and Kam Smith, it’s their love for the game of baseball.

Girard sophomore pitcher Kam Smith said, “It’s really great. These moments, you know, now that I’m going through what he went through and I’m going through that now. And so it really just connects, you know, because he can tell me what he didn’t do and what he would have done. And so that’s just helped me tremendously as a baseball player”.

Kam has made a name for himself early in his high school career at Girard being rated as one of the top players in Kansas and in the country for the Class of 2027.

Kam is currently rated in the Top 100 in the country and is currently rated as the No. 2 prospect for the Class of 2027 in the state of Kansas.

And his drive to be great has stemmed from his dad.

Smith said, “I think it comes from, you know, my dad had a great career and he always inspires me and he makes me better every day. And I think I just want to fulfill my potential as much as I possibly can. I want to make myself as best as I possibly can. My dad has given me great genetics, and I think I can just live up to what I’ve been given”.

Kam’s father, Dan, spent time pitching in the major leagues with five teams like the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos.

But as a father, there’s nothing more rewarding than watching your son succeed.

Dan Smith said, “He’s a good kid. He works hard. And for me, it’s been really rewarding to see him enjoy the journey. And he’s really good about just staying in the moment and enjoying the moment. And I think he gets a lot of that from his mother, who gives him great advice all the time. But we’ve enjoyed it immensely. We feel incredibly blessed and we’ve gotten to do some great things together”.

Kam still has three more years of high school, but whether he takes the college route or decides to go pro, it’s the journey he’s looking forward to the most.

Smith said, “That journey is what is going to help me a lot in life. You know, it’s not just about baseball. It’s just learning about how to go throughout life. And I just want to play at the next level. I just want to be great. I want to be one of the greats”.

Kam plans to compete in multiple showcases throughout the rest of the summer and attend baseball camps across the country hosted by ACC and SEC schools.

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