By Hayden Swope

Salina South brings back honorable mention all league player Kaden Herbel this season Herbel was chosen as the American Family Insurance Athlete of the Month. 

“To be one of the athletes selected is a big honor and accomplishment for me,” Herbel said.

Knowing the team’s potential, Herbel spent the offseason preparing to make it the best it could not only be for himself, but for his teammates and coaches as well. 

“Preparing for the season meant hitting the weights in order to build more strength for me,” Herbel said. “Going into the season I was super excited for what we could accomplish as a team and I knew I needed to do some things in order to play a role in that. Looking back on last year I knew there were some things that needed to be changed, which is why there were many nights of going to the cages and hitting for a couple hours.”

With the leadership of him and others on the team, Herbel hopes to make it far in the postseason.  

“The main goal for me is to be a part of the team that finishes in Wichita,” Herbel said. “I feel like we have the potential and talent to do it and it’s going to take everyone to trust the process and do the little things in order to make that happen and be in Wichita.”

Herbel plans to continue his academic career at the higher level in Fort Hayes, and someday start his own business. 

“My plans after high school is to go to Fort Hays State University to major in Agricultural Business,” Herbel said. “From there on my goal is to run my own business as a seed salesman.”