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Saturday, July 4, 2009
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Former football star focuses on baseball NORTHWOODS LEAGUE By THOR NYSTROM Sports Writer At Mahtomedi High School, Justin Gominsky was a two-sport prodigy. He was an all-state football player, a 6-4 wide receiver once described by the Star Tribune of Minneapolis as "a sure-handed game-breaker who can bring a crowd to its feet and opposing coaches to their knees."
On the baseball diamond, he was a lanky fireballer whose fastball was reportedly clocked at 92 mph.
So what is he doing now?
Playing the outfield, of course. And, Gophers football coach Tim Brewster shouldn't hold his breath for Gominsky's return to the gridiron.
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Through 21 games with the Brainerd Lakes Area Lunkers, University of Minnesota outfielder Justin Gominsky is batting .275 with five doubles and 10 walks.
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Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
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"After high school, I was done with football," Gominsky said. "I knew that right away."
Arm problems robbed him of a pitching future. He's not particularly broken up about this, shrugging his shoulders when asked if he misses the mound.
"I can get better every day as a position player now and not worry about pitching," he said.
Gominsky, an upcoming sophomore at the University of Minnesota, isn't nearly the best wide receiver in the Gophers' outfield, despite helping lead Mahtomedi to a runner-up finish in the Class 4A state playoffs in 2007 with 63 catches, 1,205 yards and 18 touchdowns.
The best receiver in the outfield? That would be Eric Decker, of course, a consensus first-team All-Big Ten selection and a Biletnikoff Award finalist last season.
Justin Gominsky
Position: Outfield
Height: 6-4
Weight: 185
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
High school: Mahtomedi
College: University of Minnesota
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"Me and him always joke around with each other," Gominsky said of Decker. "I always give him some crap if he misses a catch or something. I tell him: 'I'd have had that.'
"He's a tremendous athlete. He's a great wide receiver. He's great. I am nowhere near him."
Gominsky pauses, genuinely thinking about the schism in relative football talent. "NOWHERE near him," he repeats with a laugh.
Gominsky was named all-state in baseball as a junior and senior at Mahtomedi. He was an all-conference player all four years he played baseball and all three years he played football.
He signed with the U of M after a ballyhooed high school career and started 44 games in the outfield for the Gophers as a freshman. Gominsky batted .338 and the team finished 40-19.
"Making it to the divisionals at LSU, that was a thrill," Gominsky said. "It was unreal. My freshman year was unreal. I couldn't really explain it in words. It was that great."
Gominsky helped spur a giant Gopher resurgence with Minnesota and Lunkers teammate Michael Kvasnicka.
Kvasnicka joined the team first and directed team owner Joel Sutherland to Gominsky, who had confided to his teammate that he wanted to play summer ball. Sutherland, no doubt tickled by his good fortune, quickly had Gominsky on the phone and he accepted an offer to join the Lunkers.
Lunkers assistant coach Shane Gunderson, a former Gophers great, believes both Kvasnicka and Gominsky have pro careers in front of them.
"I think it's great that he thinks that," Gominsky said. "Growing up, obviously, I always wanted to play baseball. I'm going to keep playing baseball until someone tells me that I can't anymore.
"I would like to play professional ball, but I'm not thinking about it right now. I just need to keep working hard and hopefully those things will come as a tribute to the hard work."
For now, he and Kvasnicka are focusing on shoring up their weaknesses as players while chasing a Northwoods League title.
"The guys all jelled once we got here," Gominsky said. "The team just kept going. We have too many good players for us to have to do well every night."
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