Love and life on the diamond

By Steve Silver

Monday, April 27, 2009 | 6 a.m.

When diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer called Burkitt's Lymphoma as an 8-year-old growing up in Green Valley, Todd Faranda never pondered how long he would live.

His main concern was when he'd get his next turn at the plate.

Stepping onto a baseball field, though, especially when receiving chemotherapy, is not exactly a medically sound move.

But Faranda, who had a Hickman catheter tunneled from his jugular vein sticking out of his chest, simply could not live without baseball. So his parents designed special pockets in his baseball jerseys to cushion the catheter that allowed Faranda to continue to play his beloved game.

Twenty years later, Faranda is now at the helm of Chaparral's varsity program and his passion for the game he credits with saving his life continues to grow.

"I see baseball as something I have to do," said Faranda, who is in his second season coaching the Cowboys. "I think God put people on this earth for some reason and I think baseball was the one for me."

Although Faranda learned how to play baseball from his father, Todd Sr., a former pro in the Cincinnati Reds organization, the 28-year-old found his life's calling in coaching largely due to his two legendary high school coaches.

Faranda spent two seasons at Green Valley High under Rodger Fairless before transferring to Bishop Gorman to play for current College of Southern Nevada coach Tim Chambers.

"Coaching was always my dream," said Faranda, who is planning a baseball fundraiser this summer for Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada. "I knew if I never panned out as a player, this was what I wanted to do. It's been seven years of fun so far. I love it."

Faranda's first foray into coaching, however, is not the most glamorous position.

Since winning the state championship in 1991, the Chaparral baseball program slowly crept into irrelevancy after the opening of Green Valley High that same year. In recent seasons, low enrollment has left the baseball squad lacking in depth and unable to compete with Northeast powerhouses such as Las Vegas High and Rancho. In 2004, the Cowboys hit their lowest point at 6-22.

But Faranda is determined to open a new chapter in Chaparral's baseball legacy.

After missing the playoffs by one game last season with a 12-17 (5-7) record, the Cowboys are currently 12-8 (2-5) and making another push for the postseason thanks to a trio of talented juniors including Ricky Perez, Raul Jimenez and Faranda's younger brother, Mark.

"The future looks real bright," said Mark Faranda who is batting .311 (14-for-45) in the lead-off position as of April 21. "We just need to stay real positive. The only way we can beat ourselves is mentally. The talent is definitely here. We just need to have good attitudes and stay positive."

If anyone can handle injecting a dose of positivity into a floundering program, it's Faranda –- he did play the game with a tube in his chest, after all.

"We're winning every day in my eyes," said Faranda, who is a teacher for emotionally disturbed children at the Miley Achievement Center. "The kids are passing their classes. They are graduating. They are becoming better people. Wins are great, but everyday you step out on the field you've won. That's my attitude."

Steve Silver can be reached at 948-7822 or [email protected].