Thomas Fischer may be in the right place at the wrong time. The three-sport student-athlete at Marshall High School has waited in the wings for his chance to shine as a starter at critical positions on three different MHS teams.
For the football team, he'll be following Brad Bahlmann at quarterback, the 2014 Marshall Independent Offensive MVP. During basketball season, he'll take over for point guard Connor Winkelman, who won this year's Marshall Independent All-Area Player of the Year award. And next baseball season he'll move up in the Tigers rotation, which currently features Winkelman, senior Nate Hoeft, and 2014 All-Area baseball Player of the Year, junior Drew Hmielewski.
Fischer is ready for the challenges of three demanding positions.
"I think it will be fun to be out there playing and having big responsibilities to put the team in position to win," he said in between the Marshall Tigers baseball games at Legion Field last Saturday.
His preparation includes a busy summer schedule of training and conditioning.
Fischer said he'll be practicing basketball Monday through Thursday, playing seven-on-seven football every Tuesday, suiting up at second base for the Minneota Mudhens as well as lifting every day.
He described the summer as "action-packed."
Fischer seems to get the mental aspect of the games as well.
"Thomas is a student of the game," said Bahlmann. The former Tigers quarterback noted that Fischer eagerly soaked up the knowledge of how to run an offense and helped improve the team any way he could, even from the bench.
"Thomas takes every rep and pushes the guy ahead of him, even though he's the backup. He is always locked in and ready to go," said Bahlmann.
Fischer said his teammates have "put me in a spot to be successful next year."
That thirst for knowledge has spilled over into the classroom as well. Fischer won the prestigious Excel Award from the Minnesota State High School League.
The award is given to juniors who "are active in school activities, who show leadership qualities, and who volunteer in their communities" according the MSHSL website.
Only 32 students from across the state received the award this year.
It hasn't been easy for Fischer, but he's approached the school work just like he does his athletics.
"It's tough. You just got to get the stuff done. It's a lot of late night sometimes. You get from those games and get the homework done," he said.
It hasn't come easy on the field either. Fischer struggled in a relief appearance during Marshall's second game on Saturday. However, the team pulled out a 5-4 victory.
"If the team's successful, that's more fun than me being successful," said Fischer prior to the game.
With that kind of attitude, maybe he is in the right place at the right time.
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