By Hayden Swope

Mulvane’s Garrett Olson has been looking forward to getting back on the field all offseason. As the first games of the season near quick, Olson feels ready for whatever the season may throw at him.

“To prepare for this season I began going to player-led hitting sessions beginning in mid January as well as starting an arm care routine as soon as the weather got warm enough,” Olson said. “Arm care is important for me because it helps prevent injury and makes you better throughout the season. This offseason I really focused on the consistency of my swing and being able to use the whole field effectively.”

This being his senior year, Olson is hoping to cross off every goal from this list, including the biggest achievement of making the state tournament.

“A personal goal I’m focused on is to be a leading contributor in the success of the team while also being a leader in batting average and on base percentage,” Olson said. “The ultimate goal is to make a state tournament appearance and win the whole thing. I’m really excited to see how far this team can go. I believe we have the talent and motivation to make a good run.”

With many memories to be made this year, Olson still remembers the feeling of victory from a few years back.

“My favorite memory from playing baseball at Mulvane is playing in and winning regionals in 2021 at McPherson at around 12:30 in the morning after hours of rain delays to make an appearance at state,” Olson said. “It was a really long day and the feeling of winning it and taking the long bus ride home with my teammates celebrating was amazing. We really just had fun and didn’t let the weather affect us.”

Olson is still unsure on his future plans after graduation, but is keeping his options open to multiple opportunities.

“At this moment I’m currently undecided on where I want to continue my education, but I have been looking into careers in the HVAC field as well as other careers in the trades,” Olson said.