The IUS baseball team is beginning a new season. This will also be the last season for Kyle Lenn, general studies senior.
Lenn plays left field and designated hitter for the Grenadiers.
Since he was 5 years old, Lenn has played baseball for various teams. While growing up, he played in at least two little league teams every fall and summer.
In high school, Lenn played four years at New Castle High School in Newburgh, Ind.
Prior to attending and playing baseball for IU Southeast, Lenn played at Vincennes Junior College for two years.
“Baseball is all I’ve ever known and it has been a part of my life since I was born,” Lenn said. “It’s hard to imagine it all being over in four months when I graduate. I would love to continue playing and if any opportunities would arise where I could play, I would, but if not, I can look back at the great memories and the friends I have made through baseball.”
With graduation in May, Lenn has a few plans for the near future.
Lenn is newly engaged and plans to wed in November. He said he is unsure where he and his fiancée will reside after their wedding because of their family’s current residences.
“I’m not sure if we will move to Newburgh where my family lives or if we will move to Anchorage, Alaska, where her family is currently living,” he said. “We both want to be close to our families so we haven’t figured it out yet.”
Lenn also said if he moved back to Newburgh, Ind., he would be able to take over the family business that his father started. The business is an indoor baseball and softball facility attached to a sporting goods store.
Lenn was born and raised in Newburgh, Ind., where he developed his interests in hunting, fishing and four-wheeling. Another hobby Lenn engrosses himself in is restoring the 1984 Ford F150 his parents brought him home in when he was born.
“My family has been very supportive of me thought all my years of baseball,” Lenn said. “People always wondered if my parents were pressuring me to keep with baseball, but it has never been that way. My mom instilled in me to be respectful and courteous of others.
My dad told me to work hard and to always do my best. He instilled the work ethic in me to get me to where I am today.”
Lenn said his father has been his idol ever since he can remember. An obstacle that Lenn and his family overcame occurred when his dad became ill.
For two years, Lenn’s dad was ill and unable to be diagnosed until the doctors discovered he was fatally ill with pericarditis.
“To me, my dad was invincible and stood on top of the world.” Lenn said. “It was hard to see him suffering and his body deteriorating. He told me not to take anything for granted in life and to live every day like it’s my last.
He later had an unbelievable, full recovery and is ridden of the illness.
“This is just one more reason why he is my hero, and if I could be half the man that he is, then I’ll be in good shape,” Lenn said.
Aside from his father’s illness, Lenn has come across and triumphed over another obstacle in his life, this time affecting baseball.
In his first year at IU Southeast, Lenn was only able to play in six games because of a surgery he underwent.
“I had surgery on my rotator cuff and labrum tear in my right, throwing shoulder when I turned 21,” he said. “It took five months to be able to start throwing a baseball again. It took close to 10 months before I was 100 percent.”
Staying true to his father’s advice, Lenn said he lives every day to its fullest. He said he has high hopes for his last season on the IUS baseball team.
“Our coaching staff has prepares us in every way, shape and form,” Lenn said. “This year, our pitching staff is a lot deeper than we have had in the past years. We have a deep, solid group of pitchers. The underclassmen and transfers have all stepped in this year and put in a lot of hard work.”
Lenn said the seniors plan to make this season a memorable one.
“I don’t really see any weakness in our team. With us seniors, we have realized that this could be our last chance to play the game that we love. We want to go out with good memories and leave everything on the field together.”
Last year Lenn led the team with 11 home runs, which he said was an awesome milestone in his baseball career.
IUS baseball coach Ben Reel has coached Lenn for three years. Reel said his team has a chance to be very successful this season, as they have an experienced team including 14 seniors.
“Lenn is probably one of the most talented to come through the program at IU Southeast.” Reel said. “He is a great, smart kid and a great baseball player. He is definitely a great guy to be around. I wish he was a freshman so he could be around four more years.”
Another achievement for Lenn is working toward his degree and sticking with college baseball the entire way.
“Working toward my degree was something that seemed so out of reach when I started college and I didn’t know if I could do it,” Lenn said. “Here it is now, graduation is four months away, and it is a reality.”
The IUS baseball team began the season with an 8-7 victory over Trevecca Nazarene on Feb. 18.
On Feb. 19 the Grenadiers split a doubleheader with a victory over Union College and a loss to Missouri Baptist College.
The baseball team will play their home-opener on March 5.
By COURTNEY MCKINLEY
Staff Writer
comckinl@imail.iu.edu