Spring Stars: Walden Grove's baseball-playing Villa twins wait, work out after seasons are cut short

Over the next month, the Arizona Daily Star is profiling Southern Arizona high school athletes whose seasons were cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. Each high school nominated a spring athlete who exemplifies greatness on and off the field, court or track.

Sonia Valles didn’t graduate from high school and for years has been counting down the days until she gets to watch her 17-year-old twins, Leo and Ivan Villa, take that monumental walk to receive their diplomas.

Like so many other things upended by coronavirus pandemonium, the where, when and how of Walden Grove High School’s graduation ceremony are relative unknowns. Valles is now hopeful that she’ll get to see her boys receive their diplomas before they head off to college.

In addition to the last few months of high school and possibly a traditional graduation ceremony, Ivan and Leo Villa are missing out on the end of their standout high school baseball careers.

This isn’t the way they expected to go out, these boys who Walden Grove’s athletic director said have played important roles on the team for the last four years. But they’re making the best of it.

“These two young men are great young men, very respectful and hard- working in the classroom,” said Walden Grove AD Barry Cromer.

Older brothers to a 10-year-old sister and 13-year-old brother, Leo and Ivan Villa help their mom — who works full-time — out with errands and school pickups for their younger siblings, Valles said.

“They never complain,” their mother said. “If I ask them to do something they just do it. I’m so proud of being their mom.”

Leo and Ivan Villa got their start in coach-pitch baseball before moving into the Copper Hills Little League. During their time in Copper Hills, they made it all the way to regionals, playing against teams from Hawaii, Washington and Alaska.

“It was so much of a fun experience watching them grow until now,” Valles said. “I’m so excited for once they start going to college and start playing ball.”

Valles was in the process of helping the boys create a recruiting video to send to prospective colleges when the coronavirus hit. The video has taken a back seat for the moment between Valles’ full-time job and managing home-school activities for her children.

“The older boys help out, of course,” Valles said. “Sometimes it’s overwhelming, but we get it done.”

Ivan Villa said the hardest part is being away from his friends and teammates. The Villas’ coaches have been strong role models for years.

“I miss practicing and school a lot,” Ivan Villa said. “But I’m doing all the work that they gave us and going to do the next steps.”

Ivan Villa is hoping to attend the University of Arizona next year and major in civil engineering. He says he’s looking forward to when things get back to normal so he can “have a bunch of fun right before heading to college.” He is throwing and working out with his brother every day to stay in playing shape — no surprise for a student whose favorite class was weights and conditioning.

“I usually go out and run or do body workouts, like push-ups or sit-ups and stuff,” Ivan Villa said. “I like to run a lot, which people think is weird. It just clears my mind and makes me more in shape.”

Leo Villa differs from his twin in that he prefers distance running — so much so that he competed for Walden Grove’s cross country team last year.

Like his brother, Leo Villa also played multiple positions for the Red Wolves, including catcher, shortstop and third base.

“I can’t wait to hang out with my friends and go out on the fields and start practicing again,” Leo Villa said. “I just want to get back into it.”

Leo Villa hasn’t decided on a college yet, saying he prefers Oregon State for baseball and UA for academics. With Leo hoping to major in architectural engineering, academics could win out when it comes time to make the choice.

Both Leo and Ivan Villa’s favorite memories from high school include the rituals that have long been a part of high school athletics: Practices, games, pep rallies, spirit week and of course, playoffs. Walden Grove’s baseball team advanced to the postseason the last two years and was looking to a third before the season was cut short.

Still, the boys are staying positive and looking to the future, wherever they end up. But according to their mother, that’s nothing new.

“They have never given up,” Valles said of her boys. “Whatever life brings to them, they’re ready to go.”