Baseball

Student-Athlete Spotlight: Jonathan Kelso, UW-Platteville

Each week during the 2019-20 academic year, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) will feature two student-athletes (one male and one female) from one of its eight institutions for a “Student-Athlete Spotlight” Q & A segment. The segments will be posted every Thursday and individuals are selected by the institution. The WIAC Student-Athlete Spotlights are presented by Culver's.


Name:  Jonathan Kelso
Institution:  UW-Platteville
Hometown (High School): Villa Park, Ill. (Willowbrook High School)
Year in school:  Junior
Sport:  Baseball
Major:  Building Construction Management


Why did you choose UW-Platteville?
I chose to come to this school because of it had the major I wanted to pursue, the sport I wanted to play, and it was very affordable through the Tri-State initiative. The WIAC being a very competitive athletic conference played a huge part in my decision to continue to play baseball for Platteville.
 
What other clubs/organizations on campus are you involved in?
(CMA) Construction Management Association

What do you like most about competing in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and being a NCAA Division III student-athlete?
There is so much talent in the WIAC and to playing against guys that are mostly in and around the State of Wisconsin is awesome. The student-athlete experience is like none other. Being able to practice, travel, and compete with teammates you’ve gotten to know so well is a privilege.
 
What is your favorite…
Flavor of the Day from Culver’s?  Brownie Thunder
Menu item from Culver’s?  Culver’s Bacon Deluxe Burger Meal w/ Curds and a Root Beer
Spot on Campus?  The Bear Den
Movie?  Dan in Real Life
TV Show?  The Office
Food?  Deep Dish Pizza (Sausage)
Musical Group/Artist?  Kanye West
Professional Sports Athlete?  Shohei Ohtani (LA Angels)
Hobby?  Video games – First person shooters like Call of Duty. I enjoy reading a good book once and a while as well.
Phone App?  Twitter
Vacation Spot?  Buena Vista, Colorado
Quote/motto?
“Everybody wants a quick fix. You may get results, but they won’t be permanent. The permanent results come from you having to suffer.” -David Goggins
 
What is your greatest sports moment? 
Making the WIAC Tournament when we took the series from Oshkosh during the 2019 season. We had come so far from going 10-30 the year before.
 
What is your favorite thing to do off the court/field with your teammates?
Shooting hoops in the PAC (Pioneer Athletic Center).

If you could change one rule about your sport, what would it be?
I would change the fact that the rules are being changed so much. In my opinion, the limits and restrictions are only hurting the integrity of the game. Like the new 3-batter rule that requires pitchers to either face a minimum of three batters or complete a half-inning. Baseball is just fine without rules like this one.
 
The best thing about your hometown is?
The high school sports, the wide selection of food, and the easy access to downtown Chicago.
 
What is your dream job?
Major League Baseball Player - Centerfielder
 
Three things on your "bucket list"?
---Go golfing in Scotland.
---Surfing in Hawaii.
---Cliff Jumping at Mammoth Lakes in California.

Do you have any pre-game/pre-event rituals? If so, what are they?
Right before either team takes the field, Coach Hanner and I take a couple steps toward each other, jump, and bump in the air. It's usually followed by a loud, "WHOOOOOO". Gets the juices flowing.
 
What is your biggest “pet-peeve”?
People cracking their gum near me.
 
What is your greatest fear?
Being alone in the open ocean and getting swallowed up by something.
 
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