Kane County Chronicle Athlete of the Week: Aurora Central Catholic’s Jackson Michels, baseball, senior

Name: Jackson Michels

School: Aurora Central Catholic, senior

Sport: Baseball

Why he was selected: During the Chargers’ four wins on the week, Michels went 4 for 12 with two doubles, a triple and a home run and recorded 10 RBIs. He also had 14 strikeouts in five innings in two pitching appearances.

Michels was selected the Kane County Chronicle Athlete of the Week in an online vote.

Here is his Q&A with sports reporter Joel Boenitz.

What was the feeling of seeing the ball fly off the bat for extra-base hits consistently?

Michels: It was great. It was just being confident in my abilities at the plate. My last season didn’t go how I wanted it to, so putting in work over the winter and then just knowing that I can make good contact with the ball and seeing the ball in and just putting a good barrel on it.

Of your 10 RBIs, four of them came on a grand slam against Indian Creek. How did you feel after that?

Michels: It was pretty surreal. I came up to the plate with my little hot streak, but I just wanted to put a good barrel on the ball and see what happens. I got a middle-in fastball, turned on it and just started running. I saw the center fielder stop running and that’s when I knew it was out. It was a crazy feeling.

Not only were you successful at the plate, but on the mound as well. How did you feel you did?

Michels: It was great. I put in a lot of work in the winter, working especially on my offspeed. And knowing that in any count I can go to my offspeed pitches and be confident while also being able to work in my fastball off that is great. And everything just felt great out of the hand in those two appearances. And the results were pretty nice, too.

You’re committed to play golf collegiately at Benedictine. What made you want to play golf at the next level?

Michels: I’ve always played baseball and golf ever since I was six and baseball was usually in front for me for a while. But going into sophomore year, that’s when golf kind of took charge for me and that’s what I really found a really deep love for. It’s not that I don’t love baseball, but golf kind of took the forefront for me and over time I became a better golfer than a baseball player. It’s just something that I really want to continue to do in college.

You’re left-handed, but bat right-handed. How did that happen?

Michels: I don’t really know. I’ve been playing since I was four or five and that’s just always what felt natural to me. My parents tried to get me to swing lefty because I write and throw lefty, but I could never figure out how to swing lefty. So I’ve just always been swinging righty.

Any superstitions?

Michels: I don’t think so. Before high school during my travel games, I would always eat a sweet potato. But in high school I don’t really have a microwave I can use to get the sweet potato ready.