WACO, Texas — Nik Sanders brings his own style to the game of baseball.
"I just love to play with swag," said Sanders, a senior at Waco University High School. "Growing up, having swag was a thing to have from South Waco. Playing baseball here, it was either you're gonna get talked about or people are gonna respect you.”
He's earned that respect by working to become a highly touted prospect. Sanders is likely to be picked in this summer's Major League Baseball draft, but he's also signed to play in college at the University of Texas.
“I gotta be humble and grateful for everything I have, so I don't try to look forward too much," Sanders said. "I'm just ready to see whatever God has in store for me.”
For now, he's focused on wrapping up his senior year at University. It's the place that he returned to with a heavy heart after two years on Waco's northside at La Vega High School.
"Looking back, it was a very lonely period of time," Sanders said. "It was two people that I carried really near and dear to me."
Mike Chapman was known as the "Godfather" of South Waco. He was a teacher, coach and mentor to countless youth in the University High community, including Sanders.
“I first met Coach Chapman when I was in third grade," Sanders said. "I remember walking up to him and saying that one day, I'm gonna be playing baseball at your high school, and he's like, I can't wait to see you. I’ll be at the games.”
The longtime Trojans soccer coach never got to see Sanders play. He died of a heart attack in January 2020 at 58 years old.
“He was a good role model. He was a great coach, but he was an even better person," Sanders said.
Tragedy struck again less than 18 months later, when Sanders' friend, Ty Felder, was shot and killed.
“I'm a very emotionless person," Sanders said. "I don't really let a lot of things get to me. But having them on my side is something that makes me powerful, something that makes me unstoppable.”
A feeling that brought him back to where he grew up.
“It affects me every day and motivates me to do the right thing, not only on the field, but off the field because I have all eyes on me," Sanders said.
“When Nick came back, he talked to me and told me about the influence that my uncle had on him," said Mike's nephew, Waco University baseball coach Dylan Chapman. "Obviously, that's really special to me. I’m glad that this place was special enough to him for him to want to come back."
The responsibility of a role model for the flashy kid who's proud to be repping South Waco.
“I want to be great," Sanders said. "I want to be remembered, and I want to be a legend.”