Contemplating college can be difficult for any high schooler. But for baseball players, navigating the world of showcases, camps, games, phone calls, letters, coaches, and more can be downright daunting. In this article, Kooper Schulte discusses how he decided, how he got there, and what advice he has for younger players.

 

Kooper Schulte, New London class of 2022, is looking forward to what college baseball can offer. PBR ranked him 5th among shortstops and 17th overall between his class in Iowa. Although the process wasn’t easy, Schulte is happy with his choice to play for Iowa Western after graduation.

 

The chaos of last year had a positive impact on Shulte’s training. “Everybody says 2020 was one of the worst years of their life, but in my opinion, it was the best year of my life because it gave me five months off of school,” he said. “So it really helped with my game. I could lift every day and train every day, elevate my game.”

The weight room was key for him. “I hit the weight room hard and tried to get my velo up because that what coaches want,” Schulte said.

The recruiting process drove Schulte to work harder. “It motivated me because not as big schools were recruiting me,” he said. “I had a lot of junior colleges going after me. So I wanted to make my name out there known so that all these bigger schools know my name for the future after I graduate from Western.”

Iowa Western got involved early on. “Iowa Western was the first college that looked at me, and they wanted me to visit this summer,” Schulte said. “I was very impressed with the campus and their history. I knew a program like that would be a good fit for me.”

 

Kooper Schulte 9/11/20

 

But the pressure was evident. “It was a kind of scary process,” Schulte said. “It put me under a lot of stress because it was my future. I just knew I had a big decision to make.”

High schoolers need to dedicate themselves and have confidence ahead of the college search. “Just always keep working and never stop,” Schulte said. “And always believe in yourself because if you don’t believe in yourself, then you’re never going to get anywhere. You have to have confidence, and you have to do stuff outside of your comfort level.”

Kooper Schulte saw the opportunity to improve as a baseball player when COVID-19 shut down schools last March, and he made the most of it in the weight room. He was confident and willing, so when Iowa Western called, he answered.

 

Savannah Dennis is currently a senior at Johnston High School and has been working for Prep Baseball Report Iowa as an intern since October 2020. She has been managing the Johnston baseball team since she was a freshman and has also worked for the Iowa Sticks team as a data collector. Outside of the baseball industry, Savannah is the Print Editor for the Johnston Black & White newspaper. In the fall, she plans on going to college and majoring in statistics while managing the chosen school's baseball team.