It’s an interesting feeling interviewing one of your closest friends, especially in a somewhat professional manner about a subject matter that in my mind doesn’t stick out, but to others looking in might be the most remarkable thing about that person. I’ve known Kolby for years and when his name is mentioned my mind doesn’t immediately dart to “baseball” I just think of him as one of the boys. It appears, however, that D1 College head coaches don’t just think of him as “one of the boys.”

To many, Kolby is a familiar friendly face around campus. He’s attended Capital for all four years and has participated in baseball throughout. Unlike many people who would be in Kolby’s shoes, staring a run at a D1 sport in the face, he largely runs under the radar in terms of letting the word get out about his stats and potential looks from college, but his performance on the field speaks volumes for itself.

One big hurdle for an athlete like Kolby trying for a career in sports at the college level is the lack of a junior season. Not having a Junior season and having a lackluster version of a Senior season to boot definitely doesn’t help matters when trying to get looks from colleges. In a way though, it could be viewed as beneficial to Kolby. “Missing my junior season made me realize how much I love the sport,” he said. It’s easy to get burnt out playing a sport for four years in high school, and in some ways, maybe the pandemic is responsible for Kolby’s drive to succeed. The pandemic isn’t the only thing responsible for lost time.  It can be easily overlooked when talking about a young aspiring athlete how much time they have to put in to get to the level they need to be at to be competitive. “There have been many times where my friends have been hanging out, or there has been something going on, but I’ve had to drive an hour and a half north to hit and improve my game. I put at least 12 hours in the car every week just to go work on my hitting.”

Kolby is undeniably on track to succeed in the college sports field, with the stats and track record to back it up. Coaches checking him out seem to confirm that this is most certainly not a fluke. If you’re wondering if he has the competitive edge or drive to make this really work, I’ll let Kolby’s words speak for themselves; “I’m not going to let myself or my family down, there is no chance my competitive drive stalls.”