Onaway’s Robbins to play softball at Aquinas College next season

ONAWAY – Last summer, as Kenzie Robbins realized her senior year was approaching, she thought about softball and her final season with the Onaway Cardinals, which is this spring.

As she thought about it, she realized something.

Instead of her career ending when she graduates, the Onaway senior standout said she wasn't ready to be done.

She wanted to reach the next level.

Months later, Robbins will have an opportunity to play softball collegiately after recently committing to play for the Aquinas College softball team next season.

“It didn’t really hit me until that summer that I could play college,” said Robbins, the daughter of Jeffrey and Tina Robbins. “Growing up and seeing all these amazing athletes graduate from Onaway, and they all go to these colleges and play sports, and I figured I’ll never be like them, they’re just way too good, but I kind of realized that I’m that age now and that’s when you do make the decision, and that’s where you can see if you can do it or not. You might as well try.

“I think it’s really cool because high school’s obviously on a certain level, but college athletes are the next level. They’re really committed, it’s a lot more competitive, and I think I’m ready for that next step. I can’t wait for that.”

Being familiar with Aquinas has been key for Robbins, who visited the Grand Rapids-located campus multiple times during the decision-making process.

Each time, she loved what she saw.

“Aquinas was very welcoming,” Robbins said. “I had my first tour there and then I went on acceptance students' day, which was last Saturday (April 15), and they were so welcoming. I liked that it’s a private school, it’s a smaller school, and I liked that I knew all these people that I was talking to, some I’ve seen before, and I knew that they were going to know me and I was going to know them throughout the four years of being at Aquinas, and it’s nice to know that all these people are really nice and they’re going to help me throughout college.”

It’s been a hard working softball journey for Robbins, who has starred for the Cardinals over the last few seasons. During her career, Robbins has earned All-Ski Valley and All-District honors twice, as well as All-Region and All-Area accolades. In addition to being a rock-solid outfielder, Robbins has also been one of Onaway’s most dangerous hitters, batting .457 as a sophomore and .432 as a junior last season.

While softball is important to Robbins, so is excelling in the classroom. At Aquinas, she’ll study psychology with the goal of becoming a mental health counselor.

“I was already interested in Aquinas because they have their master’s program in mental health and that was something I really wanted to go into, so I was crossing my fingers and really hoping they would find interest in me,” Robbins said. “I sent them a recruitment tape and they wanted me, so I thought that was really awesome.”

Robbins is looking forward to the next step in her softball career, but she’s also thankful for an Onaway program that’s helped mold her into the player she is today.

“I’ve had lots of good coaches,” Robbins said. “The coaches have changed the past four years. All of them have been great and helped me out a lot, especially Coach Brew (former Onaway coach Jodi Brewbaker). I think she really kind of started it out for me. She had me playing all over the place, she really pushed me to play my best and kind of challenge me, because I was a sophomore then, and technically I had her as a freshman, but that’s when we shut down (due to Covid-19). She definitely helped me out a lot, and the program as a whole was really helpful, too, because the support for softball here in Onaway is great.”

Brewbaker, who coached Robbins during her freshman and sophomore seasons, said the Onaway star has the right mentality to thrive collegiately.

“She has a good sense of humor. That’s the thing about Kenzie,” Brewbaker said. “She doesn’t let the little things get to her. She realizes, ‘OK, I made a mistake now, I’ve just got to let it go and go at it again.’ She is a lefty, but she can hit left and right-handed. She always wants to work, she’s listening, she’s very coachable, she’s intelligent, she has really good grades, and when you have smart players, it’s easier to coach them because they understand the game a little bit easier. I think this was a goal of hers since she was a little kid.

“I gave her a big hug (at the signing ceremony) and I was very humbled that she asked me to come to her signing. It made me feel like I was an influence and it made me feel good that she thought about me as being her coach.”

Brewbaker knows what the Aquinas coaches will be getting when Robbins arrives on campus.

“They’ll be getting someone who’s ready to learn the game at the next level,” Brewbaker said. “If a coach changes her swing or something, she’s going to be adaptable. She’s going to want to make the program better. I’m really proud of her and I wish her nothing but the best at the next level."

Robbins is excited for the next step, but she’s still got a season left with the Cardinals.

And when it’s all over, it’ll be tough to say goodbye.

“I’ll miss it a lot,” Robbins said. “I have lots of connections with everyone on the team and I really like the whole team, and the coaches, too, and I’ll really miss everyone that is a part of the softball program.”

This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Onaway’s Robbins to play softball at Aquinas College next season