We can all admit that having the athletic qualities of a division one athlete is very rare, noting that around 7% of high school athletes will play Division One College Football in the future.
Seeing this statistic probably gives you and me both a slightly different outlook on how hard all these players work to make a name for themselves, especially since each individual student-athlete is still continuing to pursue their passion for the sport. Including Ball State’s Defensive Lineman, Kyle King, who gives me his perspective on his college football career so far.
Q: What gave you the motivation to become a student-athlete? Was your path to college football simple or challenging for you?
King: My motivation was my love for football and a great opportunity to get an education for free. Becoming a college athlete was pretty simple for me. Recruiting was a blast, and it was a really cool experience for me and my family. The hardest part was leaving my parents and family at home while I went out of state for college. Obviously, that hard part went away when I transferred back in state.
Q: Were there any important people or motives in your life that helped you where you are right now?
King: I have definitely had a lot of role models in my life that helped me get to where I’m at. My parents have taught me how to stay out of trouble and always work hard and to stay on the right path. My grandpa who passed away, taught me to treat everyone with love and respect because you never know who someone will be one day. And then my overall family just taught me the value of time and to just enjoy every day you get. I’ve had a lot of people help me to grow into the person I am today. I still have a lot of growing to do, and more role models will help me as I continue to grow.
Q: In your opinion, how would you describe you and your team’s performance so far into this season?
King: I would describe our performance so far as a dog fight. We were predicted to finish last in every category, and I feel that so far, we’ve had to fight and claw to prove to people that we were not out of the fight. We have had two big wins over conference opponents, and I feel that we have a lot of upside left in our season. I’m excited to keep growing with my teammates and bringing more Ws to Muncie.
Q: As of now, are there any short or long-term goals that you want to fulfill for your football career?
King: The next goals I have for my football career is to win the MAC (Mid-American Conference), get five plus sacks and have a healthy season.
Q: What advice would you give to high school athletes that want to excel their performance at a college or pro level?
King: Advice I can give is to just be smart in your decisions. Anything can be used against you and sway a coach in decision-making by offering you an opportunity to play at the next level. Effort is the main factor that can give you an opportunity, if you give extreme effort, you will fall into big plays.
After interviewing Kyle, it’s safe to say that he has developed into a very responsible and dedicated individual for himself, his family, and the university of Ball State. He is multitasking between school, sports, and a healthy lifestyle which can be challenging for all student-athletes. It also gives us a little change of perspective that all student-athletes like Kyle should always be credited for all their hard work for their future
So far into this 2022 season, King is quickly becoming a proficient key for Ball State’s defense. In his college football career, he currently has a total of 14 total tackles, 8 solo tackles, and 2 sacks. The Ball State Cardinals are in second place in the Mid-American Conference and are currently 4-3 in their regular season.
