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the glencoe anchor | August 17, 2017 | 31
Going Places
Changes await Kane at Butler
22ND CENTURY MEDIA FILE PHOTO
1st-and-3
THREE FALL TEAMS TO
WATCH
1. New Trier boys
soccer (ABOVE).
The Trevians
dropped a
heartbreaker
to Evanston in
penalty kicks
in last year’s
sectional
semifinals. Can
they get farther
in the playoffs
in coach Matt
Ravenscraft’s
second year?
2. Loyola girls
swimming.
The Ramblers
finished second
at last year’s state
meet. Hoe does
LA handle the
graduations of Ella
Tierney and Olivia
Andrew?.
3. NT girls tennis.
The Trevs finished
sixth in the state
last season. Can
they do it again?
Michael Wojtychiw
Sports Editor
Choosing a college,
whether it be for studentathletes
or regular students,
is something that
can affect more than just
the four or five years one
is enrolled at the school; it
can affect everything that
happens after those years,
throughout one’s entire
adulthood.
“One of the most influential
things a person on
these visits told me is that
‘Going to college is not a
four-year decision, it’s a
40-year decision,’” recent
Loyola graduate Mickey
Kane said. “After Loyola,
I had a bunch of schools
I was choosing from and
it took me to visiting the
schools and not looking
at it from only a football
standpoint, but also an education
standpoint. Once
I came to Butler, I fell in
love with the atmosphere,
it had the majors I was
interested in and it just
seemed like the right fit
once you put everything
together.”
Kane chose the Bulldogs
over Western Illinois,
Valparaiso, Drake
and a handful of Division
III schools.
“Butler was the perfect
fit because it’d let me play
Division I football, living
out my dream since I was
a little kid, getting a great
education with a notable
business school and having
a nice, fun college environment
to live in.”
Kane, who started playing
competitively in fifth
grade, stated he knew
there was a real opportunity
for him to play at the
next level after his sophomore
year at Loyola. During
that year, Kane was
brought up to the varsity
and played primarily on
special teams, but gained
that valuable experience
of playing at the state’s
top level. Up until that
time, the Northfield resident
had primarily been a
basketball player but going
through that season
and just playing football
in general changed the
way he viewed the sport.
“My head coach told
me ‘You have a great shot
at playing through high
school and being a potential
Division I football
player,’” Kane added. “It
was a mix of me showing
the potential of being able
to reach that level and the
new experience that became
a new goal.”
Always a defender who
likes to “sack the quarterback”
and always “wanted
to be the one to tackle the
touchdown scorer,” Kane
will be going through
multiple changes during
his first season at Butler.
Primarily a linebacker
at Loyola, Kane will be
transitioning to the defensive
line during his collegiate
career, moving to the
weakside defensive end
position. With the move,
Kane also expects to be
redshirted this season as
he prepares for the move.
“As of now, I plan on
being redshirted so I can
gain some weight over
the offseason, get stronger
and be prepared to be a big
contributor next year,” he
said. “My role is kind of
like to grow with the team,
become smarter and learn
the position and once the
season starts, really contribute
to being a scout
team player, something
I’ve never had to do. That
will be a new experience
for me, but just the fact
I’ll be able to go against
[the] offensive [first unit]
once camp is done is a really
big opportunity for me
to increase my skills and
become a better football
player.
“Along with position
change, I’m going to have
to learn the proper technique
so to do a threepoint
stance as opposed to
a two-point stance, which I
have done my entire high
school career. Learning the
movement, some pass rush
moves I never used due to
my position. It’s not going
to happen overnight,
it’s going to take time,
but that’s what my freshman
year is for, to develop
Loyola grad Mickey Kane prepares to make a move
during the 2016 season. Photo Submitted
into that type of player and
learn from the guys that
are in front of me.”
Already in Indianapolis
and practicing with the
team, Kane is looking forward
to what the season
brings and playing with a
new group of players.
“I’m on the same field,
competing against guys
who are grown men in
their early 20s and you can
tell,” he said. “They’re
big, strong guys that have
been in this system for
four, maybe five years. I
knew I was going to be a
bit smaller in frame than
some of the guys in my
group, but that doesn’t
discourage me; it acts as
inspiration for me to want
to build myself up to what
I want to be.”
Butler starts the 2017
season Sept. 2 at Illinois
State.
Listen Up
tunE in
Index
“It’s kind of depressing when you can’t
something you love to do.”
Eric Meierdierks — Wilmette golfer on not being able to golf
earlier in the year due to an injury.
What to watch this week
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: The 2017 season starts with a
home match for New Trier against a sectional finalist.
New Trier hosts Libertyville at 6 p.m. Aug. 22 in Winnetka.
28 - Alumni Spotlight
27 - Athlete of the Week
Fastbreak is compiled by Sports Editor Michael Wojtychiw,
m.wojtychiw@22ndcenturymedia.com.