October 5 — WINNER, SD — Karson Keizer wants to compete.
His desire to compete lasts year-round, from football and golf in the fall to track and field in the spring and baseball in the summer. No matter what sport he participates in, including wrestling during the winter months, Keizer fully invests his time.
“I love competing,” Keizer said. “You have to find the time to do it, otherwise you’re obviously not going to improve. You have to be dedicated and think about it once you decide to compete.”
During his senior season, Keizer found himself as one of the leaders in Winner football, ranked No. 1 in the Class 11B prep media poll, and Winner boys golf, which won the region tournament 3A at Lakeview Golf Course. Monday and is expected to compete in the Class A state championships.
For his part, Keizer won the individual regional championship, his first golf title in four years, with a 76. He also was an integral part of the Warriors’ undefeated start. Keizer caught a 62-yard touchdown pass to No. 2 Elk Point-Jefferson in the teams’ matchup on Sept. 13, helping Winner to an 18-8 victory.
Throughout the fall, Keizer practices with the football team Monday through Thursday, while playing golf on the weekends or trying to take a few swings during the week after football practice. His mentality on the course is reflected in other sports, being an example for the younger players on the team.
“He’s a lot more stable than he’s been in the past,” Winner golf coach Austin Calhoon said. “He understands that there are going to be bad days, and that’s really helped our younger kids understand that it’s not the end of the world.”
“No matter what happens, it’s up to you to figure out what position on the team you want to be on this year,” Keizer added. “Everyone is listening to you and that’s a big challenge, but you just have to make sure everyone knows what you’re talking about.”
Although football and golf present different challenges, the main principle in Keizer’s eyes is the same: putting the team in the best position to score. Much of the focus this season is on knowing when to step back and place a shot in the best spot to get a low number, which he did en route to the regional title.
He also focuses on protecting the football when he touches, as turnovers ultimately kept Winner from reaching the state championship game in 2023. However, Keizer also knows when to get aggressive and force himself to gain ground.
“The main goal is to run hard and get to the hole opening by blocking the line,” Keizer said. “And putting both hands on the ball to make sure you’re not going to fumble and trust your teammates.”
Ultimately, the goal has been to stick to his own game no matter what sport he plays, an approach Calhoon discussed with fellow Winner golfers in preparation for the Central Valley Golf Course at Hartfold, the site of the Class A state championship. A course similar in style to Lakeview, the focus on both days comes down to having a shot placement strategy.
“It basically comes down to playing smart,” Calhoon said. “It might be a hybrid or a 3-wood right off the bat, but staying in the short grass is our main goal for the guys this week. A lot of them showed the ability to do that the last week at Mitchell. Hit the shots we know we can hit.
After the Class A state golf championship, which will be played Oct. 7-8, and the football season, Keizer will be back on the wrestling mat and track to close out his senior year. Even though he doesn’t know where he will go to school and if he will be able to continue playing sports in college, Keizer will always remember why he competes.
“The coaches push us, but they push us to have fun,” Keizer said. “They know we want to win and they want to win. At the end of the day, they push us to get better, to have fun, and playing the game is what everyone comes to do.”
