By Blake Chadwick
After battling through adversity last season, Kolton Herbel is embracing his senior year with the Salina South baseball program and the opportunity to lead a veteran group of teammates.
The senior has spent over 10 years playing baseball and much of that time has been alongside many of the same teammates he now shares the field with at Salina South.
For Herbel, maintaining the right mindset is an important part of both practice and competition. He focuses on staying level-headed and helping teammates do the same when challenges arise during a game.
“My mindset when playing and practicing is pretty much the same,” Herbel said. “I try to keep a clear mind, move on when something goes wrong, and help my teammates do the same.”
That mentality became especially important last season when Herbel suffered an ACL injury that required surgery. The injury limited him to just two games at the end of the year, forcing him to watch much of the season from the sidelines.
“Last year was tough,” Herbel said. “I only played two games at the end of the season because of ACL surgery. It was a struggle having to watch and not play.”
Now healthy again, Herbel has returned to the field with renewed energy and excitement. The offseason allowed him to work with younger players entering the program and build chemistry with the team ahead of the new season.
“Being back for the offseason and working with the new class has been fun,” Herbel said. “It’s really shown us a lot about what this season could be and it gets me excited to be back out there.”
With a senior-heavy roster and several players with varsity experience, Herbel believes the Cougars have the pieces needed to make the season memorable.“Our goal as a team is to make a run at state and make this season something we’ll remember,” Herbel said
