There's a reason Dulaney shortstop Jake Sousa likes the motto, "Look good, play good." Actually, there are 72 reasons, or pairs of shoes.
"I have always been big into fashion," Sousa said. "I see what Derek Jeter and LeBron James wear off the field. I like they way they look. They inspired me."
A pair of Nikes designed by Kanye West that Sousa values at $3,000 top his list of favorite footwear.
Sousa isn't just guessing about the value of the shoes, considering the way he has turned a hobby into a small business by selling and trading about a dozen pairs of new and used shoes monthly on Facebook.
Sousa, 17, said he netted about $5,000 from sales and trades last year.
Sousa would love to play baseball for a living, but realizes the chances of that happening are slim. That's why he's kicking around the idea of starting a retail business.
"I would like to start a business like a consignment shoe store, and maybe a clothing brand," he said.
Sousa plans to major in business management at Frostburg State University, where he will also play baseball for the Division III Bobcats.
A preseason all-state selection, Sousa makes more than a good appearance on the diamond.
"He is our model Dulaney baseball player," Lions fourth-year coach Ryan Wolfsheimer said. "When people talk about Dulaney baseball players, I want them to talk about Jake Sousa. We were fortunate to have Kurtis Ewers (West Chester State) and Eric Upton (Cornell University). They were pretty solid players, and Jake is just as good as those guys."
At 6 feet 2, 225 pounds, Sousa has been the catalyst behind the Lions' 7-1 start this spring — their best start since the 2009 season.
"He is a complete player, and we wouldn't be anywhere near where we are without him," Wolfsheimer said. "He provides a lot for us both offensively and defensively."
A three-year starter and lifetime .431 hitter, Sousa acknowledges he put a lot of pressure on himself coming into the season.
Last year, he played in the shadow of Ewers, the Baltimore County Player of the Year.
This season, Sousa is front and center as the Lions' leader and co-captain.
"I was kind of under the radar last year," said Sousa, who's batting .379 with 13 RBIs,2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs and 13 walks. "People know me a lot more this year. I felt a little pressure. I felt like I had to do a lot."
The first game of the season eased the pressure. In a 7-2 victory over Franklin on March 23, Sousa went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBIs. He homered in his first at-bat.
"He hit a bomb over the fence," Wolfsheimer said.
Sousa went 1-for-2 with three walks and had the game-winning hit -- a double off the right-center field fence that drove in Tyler Pillas -- against Perry Hall. He also contributed with his glove, turning a double play, throwing a runner out at the plate and finishing with six putouts.
"He covers a lot of ground and has a strong arm," Wolfsheimer said. "He is consistent. He will end up playing third base at the college level."
As a junior for the 14-4 Lions, Sousa batted .500 with 5 doubles, 21 RBIs and scored 22 runs, including going 4-for-4 against Eastern Tech.
"He has basically destroyed us for the last couple of years," Eastern Tech coach Ty Whittaker said. "He hit a monster bomb (home run) that sealed the deal in the game. He is a clutch player. He understands what he needs to do in critical situations."
Sousa, who played baseball in the Cockeysville rec program growing up, earned a spot last summer on Team Maryland that won the prestigious Heartland Classic in Oklahoma.
He batted .455 as Team Maryland beat a team from Texas in the championship game.
"He played on the first Maryland team to win the Heartland Classic," Whittaker said. "It was a big deal."
Wolfsheimer also gets excited talking about Sousa's shoe collection.
"He is like a business entrepreneur," he said. "He has so many different contacts. He gets these deals, and turns around and flips the shoes. Three years ago as a freshman, he wasn't a kid that even wanted to go to college. I have seen so much growth in him."