Football has been good to Lake Central senior Trevor Kubacki.
So even though Kubacki has future plans in a different sport, he won’t waste the opportunity he has been given to play in another football game. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound wide receiver has been selected for the 59th annual Murat Shrine North/South Football All-Star Classic.
“I don’t want to short the game,” Kubacki said. “I just want to put the pads on one last time and do what I’ve always done best, which is give it everything I have.”
Kubacki, who has signed to play baseball at Calumet, is part of a sizable contingent of seniors from the Region who have been chosen to participate in the all-star game at Decatur Central in Indianapolis on July 11.
Joining Kubacki on the North roster are Crown Point running back Larry Ellison, Hanover Central running back Caiden Verrett, Chesterton offensive lineman Ryan Gray, Hobart offensive lineman Luke Juris, Merrillville offensive lineman Jaden Swanson, Morton defensive lineman David Bonaparte, Crown Point defensive lineman Josh Miller, Michigan City defensive back Marquez Dabney, Boone Grove defensive back Mark Rowland and Andrean kicker PJ Cusick.
The rosters were revealed last week. But Kubacki, who had a team-high 45 catches for a team-high 741 receiving yards and five touchdowns for Lake Central last season, needed a little time to digest the news.
“It didn’t settle in until a couple of days later that I’m one of the players from the whole state who gets to play in this game,” he said. “A lot of guys are going there to prove a point. It’s best on best, and that’s when the best competition happens.”
Kubacki won’t have those points to prove, however.
“I’ve actually decided that I’m not going to play football in college,” he said. “I’m going to stick with what I love most and play baseball.”
Kubacki said he has been playing baseball since he was 6 years old.
“Baseball was my first love,” he said. “I couldn’t see myself turning it down to go play football. Baseball is where it’s at for me.”
But his baseball career hit a speed bump last year. An outfielder, Kubacki was among the final cuts for Lake Central, which then won the Class 4A state title in June. That lit a fire within him.
“There were people around me trying to drag me down and tell me that I can’t do what I want to do in life,” Kubacki said. “And I was like, ‘Watch this. I’m going to come back and show all of you.’”
Kubacki’s determination impressed Lake Central baseball coach Mike Swartzentruber.
“A lot of those guys don’t come back, and I can’t blame them for that,” Swartzentruber said. “But for a guy to put in all of the time that he did with the goal of making the team is a testament to him for sure.”
Kubacki said he split his time between football and baseball workouts last summer and added pitching to his repertoire in hopes of cracking the Lake Central baseball roster this season. It worked, according to Swartzentruber.
“He mentioned that was something he was going to focus on more,” Swartzentruber said. “We really liked what we saw from him. We’ve been doing live at-bats with our hitters for quite some time, and he’s had some success there. We hope it translates into games.”
Once baseball ends, there will be time for Kubacki to get back into football shape for his final game. Until then, he will focus on being more than just a number on the baseball roster. He has a point to prove.
“I’m not where I want to be yet,” Kubacki said. “I want to establish myself. What I’ve done to this point is great, and I’m happy that I’ve gotten to this point. But I still want more.
“I want to win. I don’t want to settle for something when I know I have more in the tank.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter.
