Oswego East Student-Athlete of the Week-Dylan Kubek

Every baseball team needs a table setter., a player at the top of the lineup who gets on base by grinding out at-bats, has intuitive instincts as a baserunner, and can hit for both average and power. The Wolves have been blessed with senior outfielder Dylan Kubek as both their right fielder and leadoff hitter, a role he has not only settled into but one that has helped vault the Wolves to 1st place in the SPC West. It is both Dylan’s play and ever-steady demeanor that has earned him the distinction of Oswego East student-athlete of the week.

Dylan started his baseball journey like so many others by joining T-ball as a kid. It was not long before he joined the competitive ranks, playing for the 8U Oswego Panthers as only a 7-year-old. “I started taking the game seriously then because my teammates were older and I wanted to fit in,” says Dylan.

Dylan’s mother, Jennifer Kubek, has always seen Dylan’s personality and drive stand out in his play, saying, “Since the age of 3, Dylan has always given his all in every game and sets goals for himself and looking for ways to improve.” She adds, “Dylan has always had a quiet competitive spirit within himself as a student and an athlete.”

Head coach Brian Schaeffer, who has coached Dylan since he was a sophomore, sees the same qualities in his right fielder, saying, “Dylan is driven and does everything the right way, and our players see that.”

Despite the quiet nature in which he goes about his business, anyone who has watched Dylan play understands he is always thinking a few steps ahead of his opponents. “Dylan’s best strength is his ability to think and process the game,” says Brian. He adds, “Dylan is extremely knowledgeable about baseball and uses this, along with his ability to adapt to any situation, to achieve success. As a teammate, he is encouraging and positive. This, and his ability to lead by example, help to improve our team daily.”

The knowledge of the game is shown every day in Dylan’s play, as he is often seen grinding out multi-pitch at-bats. Not only does this give his teammates hitting behind him early in the game an opportunity to time up the pitchers, it often wears out the opposition, helps to ignite his teammates, and ultimately leads him to get on base.

Dylan ranks 3rd on the team with a .494 on-base percentage and is first on the team in walks with 24. His 27 runs scored is tied for second on the team, and is tied for the team lead with 12 stolen bases. Defensively he has a .966 fielding percentage and consistently looks for ways to take advantage of the opposition by taking an extra base or laying down a bunt when his opponents are unprepared.

It is not only what Dylan has done for the baseball program that makes Dylan special, but also what the game has done for him as a person. “Being a part of the OE program has taught Dylan the importance of leadership and commitment,” says Jennifer. She adds, “Dylan is a leader to others by always having a positive attitude. Baseball has given Dylan the discipline to learn time management, the importance of teamwork, and the commitment it takes to be a strong student-athlete.”

Dylan and his teammate's commitment to the program have the Wolves going into the last week of the season atop the SPC West after taking 2 out of 3 from crosstown rivals Oswego. If they sweep Plainfield North next week they will be guaranteed the conference championship for the first time in school history before moving on to their first-round playoff matchup with Metea Valley.

The senior-led Wolves, however, are not ones to look ahead and are sure to take the rest of the season a game at a time from this point moving forward. As with all seniors, however, the month of May is an exciting time as they look ahead to graduation and their plans for the fall. Dylan has decided to attend St. Louis University, where he will major in mathematics with the intent to become an actuary.

“Dylan has always had a strong interest in math and is very goal driven; always looking to learn something new,” says Jennifer. Math department chair Adam Thurlwell has no doubt Dylan will succeed in the mathematics field, saying, “Dylan has a natural gift to comprehend a lot of math concepts with ease and taking his thinking to the next level. I think that that is a vital part of being an actuary and he will thrive in the field. I’m not surprised Dylan has earned this distinction, as he has always been capable of toeing the line and having that on/off switch of fun and work. I can imagine Dylan can keep it light and amusing with teammates to build that comradery, yet be all business when the ball is in play.”

The Wolves are in control of their destiny for their goals of winning the school’s first conference championship and first regional title. Dylan and his teammates have been together long enough to understand the importance of taking it a step at a time and looking for a way to get better each day. It was not long ago that Dylan was a freshman at OE, and he advises future Wolves by saying, “The school is not as big and scary as it might seem, so make sure to be social and find friends with whom you share a lot in common.” The commonality for this Wolves team has been hard work and perseverance, and if they continue keeping those in mind, there is little doubt they will be able to achieve their goals and make school history.