Expectations can be the toughest obstacles for athletes to overcome.
Independence senior Michael McKinney has weathered the storm of expectation quite nicely this year.
So far this year, McKinney has hit .391 and smacked six home runs. Three of those blasts came in week four of the high school baseball season.
Along with his three blasts, McKinney hit .429 for the week and drove in six runs. He also secured the win on the hill against Berkeley Springs pitching six innings and fanning eight batters.
For his efforts in week four, McKinney has been named the Lootpress Baseball Player of the Week
The Lootpress Player of the Week Award is sponsored by Bodyworks and The Law Offices of Brandon Steele.
“This is pretty cool. It just shows that all of the hard work has paid off,” McKinney said about being named Player of the Week. “I have been in the gym more swinging every day and taking it even more serious than I have been before. I have put some good swings on balls and they have really been traveling.
The high expectations for McKinney and the Patriots stemmed mainly from Indy returning a veteran group that made it to the state tournament last year.
Add in the fact that McKinney signed to play at Division I power N.C. State next year and his longtime teammate Atticus Goodson signed with Walters State Community College, expectations have been off the charts for Independence.
If expectations have had any effect on McKinney’s game, it has been on the positive side.
“Michael has been really solid for us this year. He has done everything we have asked him to and played really hard,” Independence head coach Scott Cuthbert said. “He has done a good job of putting the ball in play and he has been real successful with it so far. Seeing him put in play more makes me happy.”
McKinney’s blasts in week four came in wins over Wyoming East, Greenbrier East and a Mike Trout-sized bomb in the Berkeley Springs triumph.
“He hasn’t hit that many home runs before, but we always knew the potential was there. If he stays within what he is capable of, he is going to hit one here or there,” Cuthbert said.
Also considered for the week four honor was Bryson Redmond (Bluefield), Jacob Howard (Wyoming East), Andrew Pettry (Liberty), Jacob Meadows (Shady Spring), Isaiah Patterson (Woodrow Wilson) and Reece Patterson (Greater Beckley Christian).
