Creekview Intermediate School student Brennan Prohaska is pictured at bat (left) for the Ohio Elite baseball team and holding one of his gymnastics trophies (right). He will compete in national tournaments in both sports this year. (Photos submitted)
It’s not uncommon for athletes to excel in more than one sport.
Some youngsters have played football, basketball and baseball, while others have had standout careers in volleyball, swimming and track and field.
Brennan Prohaska is a multi-sport athlete.
His combination, however, is a little bit different.
Prohaska, 11, is a pretty good baseball player and gymnast.
The Creekview Intermediate School student has been involved in both sports since the ages of four and five.
He has evolved into such an athlete that he will be competing in two national tournaments this year.
Prohaska is currently in Daytona Beach, Florida, preparing for the national youth gymnastics championships. He will compete on Sunday.
He will return to the Sunshine State (Melbourne) July 5-11 to compete with his Ohio Elite baseball team in the youth national tournament.
Prohaska was five years old when he began competing in gymnastics.
He has proven his proficiency in a variety of events such as the high bars, rings, floor exercise, vault and pommel horse.
The youngster, who is a Level 8 gymnast, began his trek to the nationals by competing in the state tournament.
That meet was held March 20 in Bowling Green.
He placed among the top 29 overall in the state, which qualified him to the regionals.
Prohaska once again finished in the top 29 at the April 16 Battle Creek, Mich. regionals.
“I didn’t have my best day at the regional,” he said. “However, I scored well enough to advance.”
That placement qualified him to the nationals, where he will compete in all five events this weekend.
He went through some practice sessions before advancing to live action.
“We’ll still have a little time for the beach,” he said with a big smile.
Prohaska said his favorite event is the high bars.
“There’s a lot of motion and other cool stuff,” he said.
The gymnast said he hopes to score at least 11.5 in each event during Sunday’s competition.
He’s been in the high 10’s for each event during some meets.
“I want to go higher than the 10’s,” he said. “12’s and up would be my best score.”
Prohaska got his start on the baseball diamond with T-ball and worked his way up the ranks.
He played in the Marysville Junior Baseball-Softball Association and for the Marysville Mitts.
Prohaska has primarily played in the outfield and as a catcher.
The Ohio Elite team has competed in 20 games so far this season.
Prohaska said he’s hitting the ball “pretty well.”
He acknowledged he will miss four baseball games while he’s competing in the national gymnastics meet.
“My baseball coach is good with that,” he said. “My coaches in both sports have always been very supportive of me.”
Prohaska said working in gymnastics has helped his baseball career.
“Gymnastics has increased my arm strength and given me more flexibility as a catcher,” he said.
The youngster wants to compete in both sports during the coming years.
“I want to play baseball on both the middle and high school levels,” he said.
“I’d also like to compete in gymnastics in college and hopefully one day qualify for the Olympics.”