Illiana Christian’s Tyler Balkema is showing where perseverance can lead.
Balkema was an integral part of the Vikings’ second straight Class 2A state championship last year, starting at second base in the final, and he’s responsible for a similar role as they pursue a three-peat. But he didn’t make that varsity breakthrough until last season.
“Something that’s cool with Tyler, there are so many people out there who think, ‘Hey, if I’m not playing varsity as a freshman or as a sophomore, I’m not going to be any good. I must not be very good,’” Illiana Christian coach Jeff VanderWoude said. “But Tyler played varsity his first time as a junior, and he’s honorable mention all-state.
“It’s understanding it’s a process and people mature at different times. Just keep doing the things you have control over, and doing them over and over and over. Focus on getting better, 1% every day. He’s a good testament to that. It’s not just Tyler. We have hardworking kids who have worked their way up. We have a lot of good kids, and he’s one of them. He comes and works hard every single day.”
Balkema’s rise wasn’t without hiccups. On a team coming off its history-making title, he took over at second for Levi Hescott, a strong infielder. Balkema struggled offensively out of the gate, although he wound up hitting .424 with 25 RBIs, 35 runs and 11 stolen bases. He wasn’t as sharp defensively in the early going as he would’ve expected either.
“At the beginning, I felt like I had to live up to something,” Balkema said. “Coming up from JV and not having any playing time on varsity and just getting thrown out there, I felt like I had to be great. I got in my head a lot. I didn’t do good at the plate at the beginning, and I got a little antsy in the field sometimes.
“But both coaches were talking to me about it, helping me to calm down about everything. That’s where I developed, started getting out of my head, started hitting and doing better in the field.”
Balkema’s momentum has carried over into this season. He is 5-for-6 with team highs of six RBIs and seven runs scored after a pair of lopsided wins for the Vikings.
“I still have to get my swing together,” he said. “I’m just trying to make contact with the ball. I got myself behind in counts, so then I tried to attack early.
“The mental game is really what I’ve developed the most. I was always in my head last year. If I struck out or did something bad, I would get in my head. This year, I’m more focused on getting past it and moving on to the next thing and being ready for the next moment.”
Tyler Balkema begins his second season as the starting second baseman for two-time defending Class 2A state champion Illiana Christian. (Michael Osipoff / Post-Tribune)
Senior shortstop Isaac VanderWoude, a Virginia recruit, has watched Balkema’s emergence.
“He’s a great teammate,” Isaac VanderWoude said. “He’s grown a lot over these past two years. I fell in love with playing with him — great second baseman. He always keeps positive energy throughout the team. He’s just learning the game of baseball more and more each day. It’s just fun to watch him compete. He’s a great asset to this team, especially last year, and he’s doing it again this year.”
Jeff VanderWoude agreed that Balkema has made an impact.
“I’m horrible with stats, but whenever I looked up, he was on base all the time,” Jeff VanderWoude said. “He played a great second base. When (Gavin) Meyer pitches, he plays third base. He plays both of them really well. If we asked him to play the outfield, he’d play the outfield.”
Balkema was pretty far removed from that lofty status during his freshman season, when he barely played as an outfielder. He shifted to the infield as a sophomore, an experience he described as “a little choppy,” and credited assistant Dale Meyer for expediting his transition.
“I played outfield all of my life until I got here,” Balkema said. “Then coach Jeff switched me to infield. My arm wasn’t strong enough for outfield, and he said he saw me at second base. It was rough at first because everything is different, all of your footwork.
“But once coach Dale got here with Gavin, he helped me develop into a strong infielder, confident. Going to infield was definitely a good thing for me.”
Jeff VanderWoude’s vision for Balkema came to fruition.
“You watch him, he has quiet feet,” Jeff VanderWoude said. “His hands are soft. He’s smooth, natural — everything just works naturally. He just had to grow into his body. He had to mature.
“When he was a freshman, he was lanky, small, scrawny. He didn’t have the power he does now. It’s just a pure testament to every year, every day, getting better. It’s going to happen. If we do that in life, it’s going to help us out.”
Balkema is considering his plans for life after high school. He has been participating in a work program for the second semester, leaving school at 12:45 p.m. to head to Illiana Auto. Over the summer, he works for his parents’ company, K&C Trucking, handling any type of “shop stuff” that’s needed, he said.
“I haven’t thought about college that much,” Balkema said. “But now that I see myself coming near the end of playing baseball, I just want to keep playing it. But it’s just a commitment thing. I have to choose a different life path. I’ve always planned for myself to go out into the workforce. But now that I’m coming to the end of my baseball career, I want to play it more.
“I just don’t want to be done. I love it. I love being out here with my teammates. I love making new friends, playing the game, everything about it.”
So Balkema aims to help the Vikings put together another long run.
“It’s a new season,” he said. “Nobody’s really focusing on what’s happened. We’re just going at it again and doing what we do.”
