May 11, 2008 — At just 16, Akeem Fleming has a full extracurricular schedule, including band, baseball and basketball practice, but he still manages to maintain a B average at Charlotte Amalie High School.
His determination to "be the best at everything" he does sustains Akeem throughout the day as he moves through his classes, which include advanced algebra, accounting and chemistry. After school he spends about two hours playing in the Chickenhawks' renowned drum line, then moves on to another few hours playing baseball.
As starting pitcher for CAHS, Akeem has helped put his team in second place for the year, edged out by only one loss to the Eudora Kean Devil Rays. His dream to move on to the Major Leagues is fed by his participation in the Elron Hendricks Little League West, where he also practices and plays for the Storm in the 16-18 division.
"Determined" is the word Akeem used to describe himself as he talked about his grueling year-round routine of preparing for tournaments, training for all-star games and studying in the evenings.
"I usually spend about 15 minutes at night on my homework," Akeem joked during a recent interview. The truth is, the CAHS junior has a knack for math, which has built his interest in business and accounting.
"I like dealing with numbers, and in college I plan on majoring in business and accounting," he said. "And if the baseball thing doesn't work out, then after college I want to get a job at a good accounting firm. That's something I can see myself doing for the rest of my life."
Akeem's discipline hasn't gone unnoticed by his teachers or parents, either. His coaches describe him as a true "student athlete," who focuses on both sports and academics. Band practice is "just for fun," Akeem said.
His mother, Kathleen, agrees with their assessment.
"Being the middle son out of three boys, Akeem really does stay focused," Kathleen said. "Sometimes I even think he's the older one — he picks up a lot of the responsibility. And with all the stuff that he does, I think he's able to teach his brothers and the other students that he's around to go out there and just do the best they can do — to stay focused on the things they want to accomplish."
The family also "spends a lot of time on the ball field," since both of Akeem's brothers, Anthony Fleming Jr. and Jamaal Fleming, are also athletes, Kathleen said.
"We do what we can to support each other," she added. "But whatever amount of time they spend on the field, they always know to put their education first."
Looking ahead to the future, Akeem said he will spend the rest of his high school career working toward a college scholarship.
"I don't really know where I want to go yet, but I know I'll get there," he said. "And for those who are coming up behind me, I would just like to say that practice makes perfect — if you really want something, go after it. Go after it hard."
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