Bright lights beaming as they illuminate each base, soon to be tucked under red infield dirt. The stands lie empty, preparing to be overflowed with foam fingers, salted pretzels and frozen lemonade filled to the brim. A number six stitched onto his jersey. Kendrick Calilao knows it’s time for Gators baseball.
Whether avidly exploring the wonders of the world or the outfield grass of Florida Ballpark, Calilao has made the most out of his time at the University of Florida. A 4-year-old with big dreams of filling the gloves of his older siblings soon became a 22-year-old outfielder and first baseman on an SEC baseball team. Every moment spent playing for the Gators, Calilao feels overwhelmed with support and encouragement. “Just looking in the crowd and understanding that–wow, these people are coming out to watch you play,” Calilao said.
The crowd cheered as Callilao hit a home run to walk it off against Florida State in 2021. The crowd cheered as they watched Callilao’s game-tying single against Kentucky, then his go-ahead three-run shot in the ninth. This crowd includes two people that are very meaningful to Calilao–his parents. “I’ve been blessed to have a strong support system and my parents have been supportive of whatever I want to do,” Calilao said.
Calilao grew up in Kissimmee, FL, where his family has lived for over 20 years. His family’s story didn’t begin in Central Florida. Interest in his family’s background is one of the reasons he gravitated towards the Geography Department at UF. “My father is from the Philippines and my mother is from Honduras,” Calilao said. “I have the Asian culture, and I have the Hispanic culture. I just love the idea of getting to understand different cultures and different parts of the world.”
Entering college uncertain of his path, Calilao discovered a course that made it clearer. “It wasn’t until I took maps and graphs, which is one of my favorite classes within the Geography Department, that I understood and began to gain a pretty large interest in the industry,” Calilao said.
He’ll never forget the day he declared his major in Geography. “When I made the announcement and told Dr. Lannon that I wanted to major in geography, she personally went out of her way to introduce me to each and every person within the geography department,” Calilao said, smiling from ear to ear. “It was almost like a welcoming party. They had all these gifts and stickers. They were all so excited for me and it was just a really warm, happy feeling.”
He’s grateful for the support of his teammates. Calilao never expected he’d also find a department that would, in itself, become a team– a support system for him. Community is one of the things Calilao believes makes the Geography department unique. “I feel that they all really genuinely want to get to know you as a person and want to genuinely help you, and you don’t really find that many places,” Calilao said. “I think that’s why I fell in love with it. Because of that experience that I had. The feeling that they were all really rooting for me and wanting to be there to help me along my way.”
The staff accommodated his busy schedule as a student-athlete. This enabled him to pursue his interests in learning more about the world every day. “The idea of understanding different cultures and understanding the aspects of the world and how geography works is kind of what really inspired me to get into this program,” Calilao said. “It’s nice because you spend so much time at the ball field, and when you come to class and your tutoring sessions and you’re doing work, it’s nice to get that separation from the field. It can be overwhelming at times.” He’s grateful to be surrounded by a wide range of his passions, seizing every opportunity.
“As a student-athlete, you see your teammates and other people put in so much time and effort,” Calilao said. “You want to see others succeed. It’s just a happy feeling watching everyone you know live out their passion and do what they love.”
His Experience at UF, Specifically on the Baseball Team, Instills Life Lessons Daily
“The thing about baseball is that you’re gonna fail more than you succeed,” Calilao said. “I think the idea of handling adversity and overcoming challenges is what motivates me to become better and what pushes me to want to be the best that I can be. Every day you’re facing adversity, having to overcome and having to battle.”
He is always ready for a challenge, whether on or off the field. “I think for me, I thrive under that type of environment,” Calilao said. “I look forward to see how that can translate into my future job or whatever that may be down the road.”
Calilao is on deck for graduation. “There’s so many different avenues of geography that you can take,” Calilao said. “I think it just comes down to taking one step at a time. I think we have a strong support system here at UF within the geography department that kind of helps guide us and helps us develop relationships with people within the industry.”
With a baseball glove in one hand and a map in another, Calilao is ready to navigate what comes next. “Walking out of college, not really knowing what kind of opportunities are available might be scary to some. It’s weird, because it’s a little bit exciting. A little bit of excitement and also, kind of a curiosity, wondering, OK, what’s gonna be the next step?”
Baseball Photos Courtesy of Floridagators.com