From the classroom to the diamond

Ben West sitting in his classroom at school (Francisco Linares / The Puma Prensa)

By Francisco Linares, Staff Writer

Maria Carrillo History teacher Ben West teaches kids to swing for the fences, both on the field and in the classroom. He preaches to his students and athletes on how to reach for their goals. West has spent his time weaving together the lessons of the diamond and the classroom. West consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that his students not only excel, but they thrive in whatever environment they are in.

West took a career in both of these fields due to his parents being involved in education and baseball, saying, “I guess you can say my parents are pretty influential in what I became.” West recalls when he was “growing up, my dad’s really been into baseball. He played when I was little, I used to go to the field with him and watch.” Later on, West was asked when his love for baseball began, he said, “I literally don't remember ever not liking baseball; it's always been a passion of mine, for as long as I can remember.” This early exposure to the sport of baseball turned into a lifelong passion of his. West started playing organized baseball when he was five years old and has never really pressed the brakes. Saying “I started when I was five and honestly, I still play. So 30 years, over 30 years.” Early on in West’s career, he started at first base, then later transitioned into a pitcher when he made it to college. West stated, “When I was at the peak of my competitiveness, I was a pitcher.” 

Baseball is a major area in his life, and West is a well-known teacher. The passion he gained from teaching also developed from his youth, as well. West’s mother, a longtime elementary school teacher, served as one of his earliest role models. Saying, “my mom teaches elementary school, and she seemed to really like it.” West didn’t want to teach elementary school, though, he said, “I knew early on I didn't want to teach little kids. Especially when I started coaching, it became clear that I wanted to teach high school because I liked interacting with high school kids much more than little kids.”

West believes that he enjoys the way he can communicate with older students and help them grow, not just as students but as people. He committed to the decision of high school teaching during college, after completing his undergrad degree, West went straight into a teaching credential program. “I've been doing it ever since,” he said.

West is now in his third year of teaching here at MCHS, but this is his tenth year of teaching in total. Blending his two passions here at school, he is not only excelling in the classroom but also on the baseball field. West helped Carrillo get a very solid 7-3 start to this year's campaign compared to last year's 12-12 record. When asked what he thinks has changed this year, he pointed at the team’s mindset and attention to detail. “It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is,” he said. “But I think the approach is different this year. We do a really good job understanding situations when we're hitting, knowing our roles, and executing the little things, moving runners over, bunting when we need to, playing smart baseball. That’s what helped us win more close games.” Unfortunately, Carrillo baseball is in quite the slump, sliding to a 10- 11 record, far from their 7- 2 start. West, no matter how bad this slump may be, he is always proud of his players, saying, “this team has the mentality to come back. Offensively we’re in a good place. We’re focused on piecing together runs instead of always swinging for the fences.”

West’s favorite memory as a coach came against a very dramatic playoff win against Marin Catholic. “We had to come back from a four-run deficit in the second round of the playoffs,” he recalled. “It was high-energy, back and forth. A lot of big plays were made. It showed our grit, our focus. It was really fun to be a part of.”

Over time, West will continue to build more memories with his students and players, the same way his teachers and coaches once created with him. His passion for coaching and teaching wasn't born in a single moment, but it was shaped by years of experience, support from his family, and his genuine love for helping others grow.