Owensboro Red Devil hurler Ethan Gibson is the latest OHS athlete to sign their National Letter of Intent as he’ll continue his baseball career at the University of Southern Indiana after making it official Saturday night with family and friends at his home.
Gibson, like all those who have signed this week, is excited to continuing playing the sport he loves.
“It’s been a dream of mine since I was young to play at the next level, play in college,” he said. “Just keep living the dream playing baseball.”
The Red Devils junior season was taken from him as Covid took what could be the most important year for recruiting from the senior pitcher.
“It was very stressful because I didn’t know when I was going to be able to get in front of college coaches or anything with showcases being canceled,” he said. “It was really stressful not knowing when you were going to get the chance to show your talents to all the coaches.”
But, even though his third year wasn’t what he expected, Gibson said he knew before last season that he had the skills to succeed at the next level.
“Probably not until freshman year of high school,” he said. “Saw a big velo increase and just command.”
The Screaming Eagles hadn’t been in contact with Gibson for very long and they only happened to see him by chance at an event in September.
“I went to play at a tournament at Vincennes and they were actually there to watch another kid but he didn’t do that well and I actually did pretty well that game,” he said.
He said he had a few other schools offer him but he wanted to find the right fit but also the school where he could see some action on the field during his freshman season.
“The campus, the coaches were really cool,” he said. “The distance from home. I wanted the get away from home feel but it’s also close enough I could come home anytime I needed.”
He said the coaches at USI said they’d make him a better athlete and a better person.
With his signing out of the way, Gibson can now focus on academics and athletics for the rest of his senior year as his college choice is solidified.
“It’s going to be pretty nice considering next year we’re going to have a lot of young guys playing,” he said. “I just don’t know how next season is going to go but now that I don’t have to really worry about it as much and worry about college, it takes a lot of stress off for the next season.”
Even though Gibson only had two seasons with upperclassmen, he said he’s ready to be a leader for the Red Devils this spring.
He added the coaches his has at OHS are a big reason he’s so comfortable helping lead the young players.
“I’m just going to do everything I can to help them and push them to be better,” he said. “Show them everything that I’ve learned throughout the years.”
Gibson said he’s ready to get to Evansville next season but there are a couple of things he’ll miss about OHS and his Red Devil family.
“The bus rides and the good times with the teammates,” he said.
