Jefferson County – “I Will Follow” was the first major hit for the Irish rockers U2, in 1980.
Apparently, the idea of it still hums in heads of C.J. Gillman’s teammates, multi-sporters at Columbine High School who will testify unanimously to the senior’s uncanny ability to lead.
Gillman isn’t a difficult teenager to find. He’s usually “right in the front r-o-o-o-w!”
All-Colorado by The Denver Post as catcher in 2006 and defensive back last fall (and two titles), where else would he be?
In his usual aw-shucks response, he said, “It’s in my blood; my dad is a coach and everything.”
Technically, the son of Chuck Gillman, the Rebels baseball coach, is Charles Heflin Gillman IV, but, the father said, “We ran out of names, so we called him C.J. … C.J. sounded better.”
It’s different, but so is C.J. Gillman. Virtually a poster child for a coach’s son in that he fulfills the expectations of being the team’s best player, avoiding even a hint of anything resembling trouble, displaying effort in practice and the classroom, keeping his head and being the face of the group, C.J. Gillman accepts all of it.
Throw in charisma, knowing when to open his mouth or keep it shut and accepting full responsibility. It’s underlined by the chase for a common goal exciting him more than anything on his mind.
“We’re all working hard,” Gillman said. “I’ve talked to (teammates) to get things done.”
Don’t underestimate experience, he added, “because you always try to be a leader and do it by example, but you see where it’s needed when you’re a senior.”
We’ll get a peek as to what the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Gillman and the Rebels are made of, having come off an up-and- down week so prevalent to baseball and its game-of-failure reality. They opened Class 5A Jefferson County League play Tuesday with a rousing 8-6 victory over talented Wheat Ridge, the only district team to beat them in 2006. Gillman doubled (a laser down the left-field line), tripled and knocked in a run. On Thursday, they fell to a hot Standley Lake team on a walk-off homer in extra innings. Gillman was 0-for-5.
“I hit it hard right at people,” he said. “I think Jeffco is so weird … we have even teams, so nobody expects to win. They can all hit, especially in (the smaller) Jeffco parks.”
Columbine resumes play Tuesday. It’s worth watching to see if Gillman’s will will win out again.
“It’s something I like doing,” he said of taking charge. “I like the fact when somebody’s relying on you to get something done, and when people count on you, you have to play your best.”
Last spring, the Rebels clearly won because of Evan Anundsen, now in the Milwaukee system, who pitched and batted them to a title. But Gillman, a backstop who nearly makes his father cry when he sprints to and from the plate every inning, headed the considerable younger talent.
As a switch-hitter, he batted .377 with four home runs and 27 runs batted in, and attracted attention for his defense.
His proctorship was memorable in the fall. Gillman split time at quarterback in the opener, a stunning loss to Lakewood. He then took over behind center in addition to playing in the secondary, and the Rebels ran the rest of the table, notably by controlling previously undefeated Mullen in a consummate finale.
This is a kid who fearlessly waved off coach Andy Lowry’s punt team on fourth down in his own territory late against the Mustangs – and converted.
“We had gone for it before and gotten it,” Gillman said. “Our line was feeling it. We said, ‘Hey, we’ve got this.’ Lowry said all right, but we better get it. We didn’t want to give the ball back. (Mullen) had momentum.”
And with 50 seconds to play, he intercepted a pass to seal it at 13-10 and nab MVP honors.
“He’s one of the best leaders I’ve had,” Lowry said.
Signed to play baseball at Coastal Carolina, which has been climbing up the national rankings, Gillman may also earn sniffs in June’s professional draft, but first seeks high Jeffco and district finishes, and a chance to defend in the double-elimination state tournament.
Whatever happens, he said, “it has been a pretty remarkable run the past year.”
He plans on going out like he came in – through the front door with others gladly in tow.
“If you’re a leader and doing good things the right way,” he said, “it’s a lot easier for everyone to follow it.”
Neil H. Devlin can be reached at 303-954-1714 or at ndevlin@denverpost.com.
