HARTFORD, Wis. — Ethan Birkel is known as a leader both on and off the field. He’s a senior at Hartford Union High School and plays on the varsity baseball team.
Birkel is also a stellar student. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is a part of the National Honor Society. He is also a member of the H-Club, a club for student athletes at Hartford.
Birkel said he has enjoyed his time at Hartford and has made many memories to last a lifetime.
“It’s definitely a fun experience getting to know all your teachers, getting to know more students.” Birkel said. “And kind of creating this bond between grades, classes and sports teams as well.”
Birkel has multiple AP classes in his schedule and has taken on two college courses during his senior year. His teachers said having him in class sets a great example for others.
“I saw him actually being a leader in the classroom,” Hartford Union math and computer science teacher Bob Sliwinski said. “Just his gentle tone, reaching out to his other classmates, reaching out to them, asking for help.”
“He’s an excellent student,” Hartford Union architecture teacher Mark Murphy said. “He’s really about into learning new software, getting to know the program itself. Really honed in quality work and then started going above and beyond with projects, not just the baseline of what was being asked.”
On the baseball field, Birkel is seen by many as a natural leader. He is the team captain and is a talented player on his team. He is a catcher and a utility infielder, typically either at first or third base.
As a member of the varsity team for the past three years, his head coach Steve Oleshko said he’s left a lasting impact on the team.
“He’s such a great kid,” Oleshko said. “He does whatever is asked of him. He will do whatever it takes to be a great teammate. He does whatever it takes to create the culture here, the camaraderie amongst the team itself. His value is insurmountable.”
“It’s kind of meant everything,” Birkel said. “I have kind of based my life around baseball. Since I have been five or 6 years old, I’ve done nothing but play baseball throughout the summer, winter. It’s been a massive part of my life.”
Birkel plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Platteville for college. He said he hopes to continue his baseball career there.
