TEMECULA – Gavin Johns is a Temecula native that spent countless days in the area doing what he loves. Johns is a baseball player who went through the ranks locally, from the youth leagues, through high school, and went on to not only win a National championship in junior college but also played Division 1 baseball for UCLA and Tennessee Tech. After graduating from Tennessee Tech, he added ‘Man of the Year’ to his resume, given by the Athletics Department in 2021. Since graduating, Johns has been on a mission to play professional baseball.
Johns achieved his dream in 2022 when he signed on to play professionally, which started in the Pioneer League, and then led him to the Atlantic League. The Atlantic League is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, and that is where he shined, hitting .320 over the course of 61 games with 72 hits in 225 at-bats.
The road the hometown Temecula man has taken has not been paved with gold, though. In fact, it’s been tougher than most would imagine. In late 2022, Gavin released his first book, an autobiography titled “Laugh in the Face of Adversity.” The book is a true in-depth story of Johns’ journey and how his faith, hard work and perseverance enabled him to overcome failures, disappointments and setbacks to become the man and professional baseball player he is today.
“This book covers ‘all the bases’ about my life on and off the baseball field,” Johns said. “It will be an inspiration for anyone going through a difficult time, and instead of giving up, to focus on the positive and keep going!”
On Tuesday, Jan. 10, Gavin will be at Dynamic Fitness HPK, where he will be signing copies of his book from 5:30-6 p.m.
“It’s a great inspirational book that will motivate you to conquer your goals in 2023,” Johns added.
Dynamic Fitness HPK, which just went through a huge renovation adding thousands of square feet, is where Johns, as well as countless other area athletes (professional and amateur), train. The facility is located at 26881 Jefferson Ave. in Murrieta. To keep up with Gavin Johns and follow all the action as he continues reaching for his goals, visit www.gavinjohns.com.
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.
