By Trey Hunter
Sports Editor
Carson Jacobs enjoys directing traffic.
Which is a good thing because Jacobs is the starting catcher for Okarche’s baseball team – a position where you need to be heard. The incoming senior is in a spot where he loves to utilize his voice.
“I like being loud,” he said. “Getting out on the field I can yell as much as I want. It helps me know where everyone is and helps my teammates know where to be. That’s one of the things I love doing the most.”
Jacobs is a leader and a workhorse. He caught every game for coach Mark Framel and the Warriors last season. The team’s backup catchers also pitched and played different positions and Jacobs had no issues with setting up behind the dish for every contest. Good teams need a solid backstop and Framel knows the value of having Jacobs controlling each and every inning.
“He is one of the most genuine, hard-working young men I’ve been around in my 20 years of coaching,” Framel said. “He caught every game, including double-headers and back-to-back nights. And he never complained. That’s just the type of player and person he is. Very high character.”
Jacobs handled the bat well for the Warriors last season, helping lead the team to a district championship game – just one game short of regionals and a shot at the state tournament in the spring. He hit in the two-hole where his bat control and ability to move runners around played a major factor to a successful season. Against Bishop McGuinness, he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. Most hitters’ eyes light up at the chance for a grand slam. But when Framel called time and asked Jacobs to lay down a push bunt, the then-junior had no problem with the game plan.
“He said absolutely,” Framel said. “He’s one of those guys that just gets out there and gets after it, no matter the situation. He’s all business when he gets on the field and he puts the team first. Any kid would have wanted to drive in three runs in that situation, but Carson knew what he had to do to help the team.”
“Small ball wins games,” Jacobs said. “Coach (Framel) is a great coach and we started getting better at moving guys with bunts or hit-and-runs and things like that after he took over. That’s also part of the game I love. My approach is up the middle and away when I get to the plate, but when coach asks for something else, I turn my focus to just getting the job done.”
Finishing is key for Jacobs, who attributes his fire to his dad, Dru. No matter the situation or what the scoreboard may say, he always strives to play hard and finish what he started.
“He’s always been a go-getter,” Jacobs said of his dad. “When he starts something, he finishes it. I strive to be just like him in that aspect, but also other parts of life. Don’t put anything off.”
Jacobs is also a leader off the field.
He goes on mission trips with his church, helping those in need whether it be mowing a lawn, painting a house, playing with youngsters who just need a friend or even helping the elderly with shopping.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Jacobs said of his mission work. “I’ve done it for the last three years. Anything the area needs we try to help. I know we can’t do it all, but we try to knock out what we can for those in need. It’s just a joy to meet up with people I don’t know and put in the work to help those who need it.”
“When I think of Carson, I think of all the things he does off the field,” Framel said of his starting catcher. “He helps orchestrate Christmas programs, works on mission trips and he’s just a true believer in Christ. Not to mention he’s a great student and a great leader.”
The Okarche boys basketball team reached the state tournament last year and Jacobs saw an opportunity to lead through his classmates’ success. He gathered up students and coaches and found a way to nab a bus to take down to the state fairgrounds in Oklahoma City, where he led the student section in chants and celebration as the basketball team reached the semifinals.
“I love basketball and wish I could play, but I’m not that great,” he said. “So why not go out and support them? They come out and support us, so we wanted to return the favor. One game we got the spirit bus to drive nearly four hours to Shattuck. Nobody was going to be able to drive by themselves, so we got that going so the team could have the support they needed. That was one of my favorite things and it was just a lot of fun.”
Baseball is his heart and he is a student of the game.
“I’m fascinated by the players that came before us,” he said. “I did a book report on Jackie Robinson and it was amazing to see what he went through and how he pushed through it just for the love of the game. He went through a lot, but he made it. I strive to be like him in a lot of ways.”
Jacobs is one of the rare catchers that understands his abilities and gets the most out of what he can do. But his leadership is what makes up his character. Okarche can rest assured their man behind the dish will get the job done.
“He’s a great player, role model and a great person to be around,” Framel said. “We’re definitely lucky to have him on the team and I know folks at Okarche feel the same way about him in and out of the classroom.”
