During their spring break, the Chaminade Julienne baseball team spent three days in Knoxville, Tennessee, for a tournament and also used their time away to engage in impactful activities while off the field. Their experience included building a ramp for an elderly homeowner, talking to a World Series champion, and participating in a STEM Day at MAHLE’s plant in Morristown. According to Todd Barhorst, head coach, these opportunities created lifelong memories for team members.
The ramp project came about through Mike Hoendorf ’03, who connected the team with Operation Backyard. This Knoxville nonprofit provides home repairs for individuals and families who are unable to afford them on their own.
Operation Backyard introduced the team to Ms. Ethel, whose mobility challenges made it difficult for her to enter and exit her home safely. The players were excited to build an access ramp so she could safely reach her front door without the burden of navigating stairs.
Jeremiah Branson, assistant director of Operation Backyard, served as a sponsor and site lead on their project. He guided the team through the project. Branson carefully laid out the plan and measurements, and the student-athletes worked together to carry out every step of the project.
From measuring to cutting materials, to anchoring the structure to concrete and constructing the ramp from the ground up, according to Barhorst, the entire project was completed through teamwork, effort, and dedication, and took approximately three hours.
“We began and ended the day in prayer, grounding our work in gratitude and purpose,” said Paul Kolton, parent of Daniel Kolton ‘28. “The most meaningful moments came when we had the opportunity to see Ms. Ethel use the ramp for the first time after she returned home from a doctor’s appointment. Witnessing the impact of our work firsthand was truly humbling and rewarding.”
Will Clark ’26 said, “The best part of being a part of this project was seeing Ms. Ethel’s reaction, but also getting hands-on experience with my team players.”
“Working on the ramp was a meaningful experience for me,” Isaac Sullivan ’26. “Being able to be with my team and create something useful for someone in need was such a rewarding feeling.”
As a collaborative effort, every team member contributed in their own way. 
“I was genuinely impressed with how well the group put together the ramp for Operation Backyard,” said Barhorst. “They were given some guidance, but Jeremiah allowed them to really take the initiative of all the different jobs on their own.”
The following day, the team traveled to MAHLE Engine Components USA, Inc., in Morristown, Tennessee, for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Kolton, who works at MAHLE’s Dayton facility, used his connections to arrange a visit to the company’s Morristown plant for a STEM activity and plant tour and a chance to meet Brett Martin, a retired professional Texas Ranger baseball player who was on the 2023 World Champion team.
This opportunity came about after Kolton met Roy Martin, head of process technology, during a previous visit to the Morristown plant. While there, he noticed a photo of Roy’s son, Brett, in a Texas Rangers uniform on his office wall. This prompted them to discuss their sons playing baseball at all levels: from Little League to the major leagues.
During his talk, Brett explained how, at the end of his third year of college, the Texas Rangers selected him in the fourth round of the 2014 MLB draft. Brett spoke about progressing through the Rangers’ minor league system and was called up to the Texas Rangers in April 2019.
“My first major league game was against the Houston Astros,” said Brett. “I pitched four MLB seasons (2019-2022) as a relief pitcher until a shoulder injury forced me into an early retirement at the end of the 2023 season.”
Brett was a part of three minor league championship teams and was a member of the 2023 Ranger World Series-winning team. His message to the CJ team was to work hard and stay committed to their dreams.
After Brett’s talk, Sullivan and Jake Whitt ‘26 reflected on what they learned from Brett’s baseball career.
“I now realize that it isn’t one simple path to chase your dreams,” said Sullivan. “Brett’s journey took him from a large school—the University of Tennessee—to two years at a junior college, before he ultimately got drafted.”
Whitt said, “His talk spoke to me. I appreciate that he talked a lot about how all his hard work and perseverance paid off, even if it wasn’t the typical roadmap to the majors. It inspired me to give it my best on the field.”
After Brett answered the players’ questions and gave them the chance to see his fourth minor league championship rings and one World Series ring, the group toured the Light Vehicle production line and spent time in the MAHLE Learning Lab. 
With the STEM activity in the Learning Lab, they were coached on how to control the robot arm to pick up a puck, maneuver it to the drop zone, and unclamp the gripper to drop the puck into a specific slot on a game board. On this occasion, the staff turned the game board into a baseball theme, using single, double, triple and homerun as scoring points. According to Kolton, the team enjoyed both activities, especially the robot arm competition.
Roy and MAHLE employees sent the CJ baseball team off with a small thank-you gift.
“While the games in Knoxville provided great weather, pristine facilities, strong competition and thrilling finishes, the most rewarding part of our trip was seeing the players come together off the field. Building the ramp provided a great team-building experience,” said Barhorst.
“Meeting Brett Martin and experiencing the MAHLE plant was an eye-opener for our team for life on and off the field after high school. I can’t thank our administration and the many other people who made this trip possible enough. It will be an experience our players will never forget, and I hope it opens the door for more opportunities like this.”