After battling cancer, two Gull Lake players have new perspective on life and baseball

RICHLAND - Don't be surprised if Gull Lake's Julian Harris has a smile on his face whenever you see him in a Blue Devils baseball uniform - whether he is hitting a home run or striking out.

Because Harris is just happy to be playing, no matter what the result.

That's the attitude you can take after you have been diagnosed with cancer and you have battled back to be part of the team.

"Just playing has been a gift. It's been a blessing to just be on the field," Harris said. "Get to still do this one last season in high school. It hasn't been my best year playing, because I am still bouncing back, but it's been great to be part of the team."

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Gull Lake head baseball coach Reggie Walters knows exactly what Harris is talking about. Not only has he been his coach as Harris has returned from his cancer scare, he is a father who has gone through the same situation with his own son. Isaiah Walters, who has been a varsity member of the Gull Lake baseball team since he was a sophomore, is going through his own chemotherapy treatments to fight off his own cancer diagnosis as he is reaching the end of his senior campaign.

Because of that, the baseball and softball programs at Gull Lake are coming together to spearhead a community fundraiser for the American Cancer Society as part of their respective games on Saturday at Gull Lake High School. The varsity baseball team will play a single game vs. Delton Kellogg at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Gull Lake softball team will face Paw Paw in a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. There will be a ceremony for the event prior to the varsity baseball game.

"When you go through something like this, it just puts things in perspective," Reggie Walters said.

Harris is a Division I baseball prospect who has already signed to play at Western Michigan University next year. One of the top players in the area, Harris was diagnosed with testicular cancer in the fall. He went through treatments since then and is in remission and he was able to join the team in time for spring practice for baseball.

"I had some pain, felt a little off, thought that was pretty random, so I had it checked out," Harris said. "I wasn't able to work out in the offseason, but I've made my way back and playing again.

"Western has been amazing. Their support was great. They reached out weekly, made sure I was in a good mental state."

In an injury-plagued junior season, not associated with his cancer diagnosis, Harris posted a .439 batting average and an impressive 1.349 OPS with 21 RBI. In abbreviated service, Harris was also 2-1 from the mound with a 1.53 ERA. This year, the senior is batting .326 with seven doubles and two home runs in limited time. He hasn't yet been able to pitch.

"He is extremely talented and to have it almost taken away, he appreciates what he has. I don't know if he would be as good as he is now if he didn't go through that cancer scare," Reggie Walters said.

While Harris was diagnosed in the fall and was ready to play by spring, Isaiah Walters was first told he had cancer on the first day of baseball tryouts his sophomore season and he is still doing chemo treatments into his senior year, with an end date coming up in July.

Walters was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic lymphoma, 'We had tryouts that morning and we were up at Helen DeVos (Hospital) that afternoon. He couldn't swallow very well and he had lumps on his lymph nodes," Reggie Walters said.

"At the beginning, it was frustrating," Isaiah added. "Because it was like, there goes my entire life, because you don't know what to expect. It was pretty tough to start because I quickly realized I wasn't going to play much.

"But since then, I have realized this is my life now and you just have to roll with it. And, I have been a part of the team the entire time, so that's been huge for me."

Being a coach of a player going through cancer treatments is hard enough, because you feel their frustration and pain. But being a father to someone who is fighting cancer as well takes it to a new level.

"It just wears you out as a dad," Reggie Walters said. "Your mind gets pulled to different things. In the past, I would never use a cell phone during a game or in the dugout. But, because of this situation, you have to because at any time there could be a call regarding the health of your child.

"It puts a lot of it in focus on what's important when it comes to your son, one of your players, or just a game."

Contact Bill Broderick at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter @billbroderick.

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Gull Lake's Harris, Walters returned to baseball after cancer diagnosis