How past tragedy motivates Riverdale baseball ace Camden Sholar
Riverdale senior pitcher Camden Sholar plays every game with the insignia "#Forever9" on his hat and glove.
It's to honor Dreyton Sims, the little brother of his lifelong friend, former Smyrna standout athlete T.J. Sims. Dreyton Sims drowned in the Duck River near Shelbyville just before his 10th birthday in July 2017.
"That had a really big effect on my life," Sholar said. "He was like a little brother to me. I've really dedicated everything I've done to him and his family. In pregame I always say a little prayer to him. His number was nine in football, and that's how old he was when he died."
T.J. Sims, who graduated from Smyrna in 2023 and helped the Bulldog baseball team reach the Class AAA sectional last season, is still close with Sholar and appreciates how his friend honors his brother.
"We've been friends ever since we were little kids, so it means a lot to me," T.J. said. "I'm happy that he's carrying that on with him."
Sholar, who will continue playing baseball at Motlow State next season, will take the mound as Riverdale begins Region 4-4A play against Stewarts Creek on Friday.
"He's been good, ever since we were little," T.J. Sims said. "I never expected him to be anything less than what he is now. I'm proud of him."
Riverdale baseball's Camden Sholar has been one of area's best
The hard-throwing Sholar, who transferred to Riverdale from Smyrna after his freshman season, was the No. 1 pitcher for Riverdale in the District 7-4A rotation as a junior, and has dominated even more in that role this season.
One of the Murfreesboro area's top pitchers, Sholar sports a 7-1 record with a 1.94 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 54 innings. He has allowed just 39 hits.
His fastball stays consistently in the 87-88 mile per hour range. To look at his 141-pound frame, you would wonder how he packs that much punch.
"You see what I see...how is there so much electricity in that body?" Riverdale coach Barry Messer said. "It just comes out of there. He's super electric."
Sholar has always had a good fastball, but a growth spurt when he was 13 helped him put about nine miles per hour more on it, and things have progressed since then.
"When I was playing 13-under, it jumped from about 69 to 78," Sholar said. "After that I started focusing more on gaining velocity by using my body and developing as much force as I can and use max effort. I really dig down on my back foot. It brings me a lot of success on the mound."
The right-hander likes to stick with a fastball and curve combination, but will reach into his arsenal for a changeup that is especially effective against lefties.
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Arguably his biggest improvement has been his mental game. Messer said he handles adversity better and his mental maturity has strengthened his presence on the mound.
"You're going to fail more than you succeed...that's baseball," Sholar said. "Last year I let little things get to me. This year I let those things stay in the past. I want to win that next pitch."
Cecil Joyce covers high school sports and MTSU athletics for The Daily News Journal. Contact him at cjoyce@dnj.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @Cecil_Joyce.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: TSSAA baseball playoffs: Camden Sholar used extra motivation on mound
