COLUSA, CA (MPG) –A large group of supporters gathered inside Don Bransford Gymnasium last Thursday afternoon to celebrate the culmination of more than a decade’s worth of hard work as they watched Colusa’s Luke Kalfsbeek sign his national letter of intent to play baseball at the University of Washington.
A nationally recruited left-hand pitcher, Kalfsbeek actually made the decision to play for the Huskies last year as a junior, but made it official on Nov. 9, becoming the first baseball player since Maxwell’s Tyler Wells in 2011 to sign with a Division I school.
It was a poignant moment for those in attendance, as Kalfsbeek’s uncle, Matt Vedo, himself a Division I pitcher who also spent time in the Seattle Mariners organization, expressed his pride in his nephew’s accomplishments, then read
a message from Colusa baseball coach Eric Lay.
Lay, who was unable to attend, has coached Kalfsbeek for the better part of nine years, wrote of his admiration for his star lefty’s “tenacity, competitiveness, and will to win,” calling him “the ultimate competitor” whose mentality and willingness to accept responsibility is unmatched.
Taking the podium himself, the man of the hour spoke about the significance of his faith, family, and the community as providing the foundation for his success, and then afterward specifically addressed the inspiration Vedo’s experience provided.
“This is a proud moment given the shoes I had to fill,” said Kalfsbeek. “My uncle’s career had a huge influence on me. At a young age, I was exposed to high-level baseball, and I wanted to be like the ‘big guys.’ That passion I
gained from the admiration I had for those guys got me to where I am today.”
In choosing Washington, Kalfsbeek pointed specifically to head coach Jason Kelly, saying, “a big factor in my decision was the coaching. Coach Kelly had just come from LSU, which is an extremely talented program, and he’s also a left-handed pitcher, so I was confident in their ability to develop me.”
While Kalfsbeek has now secured the next step in his baseball career, he is ready to take the field for his final season for the RedHawks and pursue a fourth straight section title.