When Lake Forest senior right fielder Charlie Quick’s teammates chose him to be a captain this season, he didn’t decide to become a leader all of a sudden.
Quick had that role in mind already.
“I like to be the one to get everyone together when in games sometimes the focus is slipping,” he said. “I’m willing to talk to people in any situation, and I think of myself almost as a second coach, being that big voice in the dugout.”
Quick’s emergence as a prominent voice has mirrored the rise of the Scouts (24-6, 10-3), who were tied with defending Class 4A state champion Libertyville atop the North Suburban Conference after a loss to Mundelein on Monday.
“I think it’s important sometimes that players hear certain things from their teammates instead of coaches,” he said. “It makes it easier with this team because we all respect each other, and I knew we were going to be like a family.”
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Quick is also a dependable outfielder and a productive hitter who often bats cleanup for the Scouts. After the game against Mundelein on Monday, Quick was hitting .400 with a 1.034 OPS, eight doubles, 23 RBIs, 29 runs scored and nine stolen bases.
“He used to be a good opposite-field hitter, and he’s pulling the ball more now,” Lake Forest coach Mike Nilles said. “He battles hard with two strikes this year and has come through in clutch situations and always delivered. He’s the heart and soul of the team.”
That’s lofty praise, but Lake Forest senior pitcher Nate Brezak agrees with Nilles. Brezak, a Polk State recruit, has known Quick since they were in preschool and isn’t surprised to see him take the lead.
“He talks to us before every game, and he means every word he says and wants the best for everyone,” Brezak said. “You know he’ll always be ready to put 100% into everything, and to be that way 24 hours a day, seven days a week is pretty special.”
Indeed, Quick is front and center behind the scenes as well.
“My brother, who’s a sophomore in college, has this big JBL speaker, and he left it at home,” he said. “So I decided to bring it on the bus and be the DJ. We’re big into house music, and it puts everyone in the right mood.”
There have been plenty of reasons for the Scouts to smile this season. They have earned the No. 4 seed in the Class 3A Grayslake Central Sectional and will play 13th-seeded Antioch in a Lakes Regional semifinal at 4:30 p.m. May 27.
“Now with the season winding down, we control our own destiny, and we’ve got to play our best baseball,” Quick said. “After last season ended and looking at who we had back, we knew this would be a good team. Our chemistry is unmatched, and we’ve loved being the underdogs.”
Reflecting that chemistry, Quick made his varsity debut as a catcher during his sophomore season but moved to the outfield last year to make room for Dylan Cran.
“Dylan is such a good defensive catcher, it was decided that having us both in the lineup would be beneficial,” Quick said. “I had played outfield when I was younger, and I really like being able to track balls and run around out there.”
Quick also imagined himself running around in a Scouts uniform when he was a kid. Former Lake Forest standouts Rocco Royer, Gianni Royer and Luca Royer are his cousins, and Quick watched them play. Then he and Luca Royer became teammates two years ago.
“They live right down the street from us and were my inspiration growing up because I would always go to their games,” Quick said. “I definitely watched how Luca handled guys, how he helped keep everything in check.
“The two biggest things I took away from watching them was how disciplined they were and that everything they accomplished came through hard work.”
Quick, who intends to major in business at Santa Clara, has also learned how to handle failure, which is inevitable in baseball. That maturity was put to the test during his slow start at the plate this season.
“I told myself I’m good enough to get through it and that it’s one week in a long season,” he said. “It’s also valuable to stay composed in front of the younger guys.”
That approach has served Quick and the Scouts well.
“He’s been everything we expected him to be and more,” Nilles said. “We’re really going to miss him next year.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
