Jeremy Gaines can fly.
Well, not literally, of course, but the Oak Park and River Forest High School baseball star can fly around the bases.
The son of two track stars, Gaines has always been fast, but that innate speed was at first harnessed to a parachute.
 “I really get my speed from my dad,” Gaines said. “My dad was small [5-foot-8] and he knew that I wouldn’t be that tall, so he got us a parachute and we’d run up a hill with it. It was really annoying but it helped my athleticism.”
It is not surprising Gaines found that training with a parachute annoying, especially considering he was 7 at the time.
Now a junior second baseman/outfielder one on of the top teams in the Chicago area, Gaines is unencumbered only by how often he can get on base, and he does that with regularity.
His on-base percentage has been key for the Huskies, who have a 22-5 record and are cruising to a West Suburban Conference Silver Division championship.
“If I get a fastball, I’ll hit it, but my job is to get on base,” Gaines said. “I will do anything to get on base; draw a walk, get hit by a pitch or beat out a grounder. Then I can cause havoc on the bases.”
The 5-9 speedster has done plenty of that, often stealing second and third in the same inning. Gaines started the season as OPRF’s No. 2 hitter behind Chris Atwood, but has been moved down to the 9 hole, essentially giving the Huskies two fast lead-off hitters and their power hitters more RBI opportunities.
“[Batting ninth] is fine because it means I get to see more fastballs,” Gaines said. “As long as I’m getting good at-bats, it’s good. A lot of times we’ll turn the lineup over and if me and Atwood get on base, then we’re rolling.”
While other kids love hitting home runs, Gaines lives to play small ball. He enjoys distracting pitchers who get annoyed with his jockeying.
“When I’m on first I always get two or three pickoff throws and have to dive back in,” Gaines said. “Pitchers are so distracted with me that maybe they’ll leave a fastball down the middle to our power guys. They worry too much about me.”
Maybe not. Gaines has the ability to score without anyone putting the ball in play. He has been balked home from third base twice this spring.
“I especially love getting my secondary lead off third base, especially when a lefthander is on the mound because his back is to me,” Gaines said. “He can’t see me, so he’s worried about what I’m doing.”
Gaines already has accepted a scholarship offer from Missouri, continuing a family tradition of athletic excellence. His father, Eddie, and mother, Cathy Flowers, both ran track in high school, with Cathy continuing her running career at Eastern Illinois.
Gaines’ sister, Tiffany Hudson, played two years of basketball at OPRF before transferring to Naperville Central, where she played on two state championship teams with Candace Parker. Hudson then played at Illinois State.
But Gaines styles himself after Red Sox rookie Mookie Betts and Reds star Billy Hamilton, who are small, fast and versatile.
That versatility is only one aspect that has fueled the Huskies’ strong season.
“I didn’t expect us to be this good,” Gaines said. “I knew that we had a lot of talent and that we’d do well, but I didn’t know how it would play out.”
While Gaines has helped spark the offense, he said he is not the linchpin.
“Our bats have been hot lately but it all depends on our pitching,” Gaines said. “Last year our pitching was good but I didn’t think it performed the way it was capable.
 “But this year our pitching has been great. They’ve been lights out. If our pitchers do well, we’ll go Downstate.”
The Huskies failed to win a regional title last spring for the first time in 15 years. That brought this year’s team together.
“The chemistry is better this year,” Gaines said. “That’s the difference from last year. The seniors, especially our captains, are great leaders and have been really nice to the juniors. After every Friday and Saturday game we’ll all go out to dinner.”
Gaines, who loves math nearly as much as he does baseball, wants to major in physical therapy or meteorology in college. Those goals are still over the horizon, but if he continues hitting the way he has, the postseason forecast for the Huskies is a sunny one.