He suffered a severely torn ACL injury in football, missing six games, then losing his entire junior year of hockey to rehab his right knee.

“I was in rehab for six months and had three months of intense physical therapy,’’ Balewicz said. “It was very disappointing to get hurt and when I recovered, covid-19 hit. The timing was terrible. Sports changed dramatically. There were no fans at games, lots of modifications to sports, and the atmosphere for athletics was drastically altered. During rehab, I vowed that I’d get better. Much work was done to strengthen my leg and to get my body back in shape.’’

The Holliston native started the school year with golf and finished the season ranked as the Panthers’ No. 4 golfer. “I averaged 42 for nine holes and I could drive the ball 300 yards,’’ he said. “It’ll be an activity I’ll continue with after college. It’s relaxing.’’

Being a captain in ice hockey was a plus because “it enabled me to be better prepared to lead in baseball.’’ He played center on the first line this year and he had 6 goals and 4 assists during a season that ended with a 2-6 record. A four-year varsity player, Balewicz played wing as a freshman and sophomore, then missed his junior year for rehab on the ACL injury. His overall style was a mix of being aggressive and using some finesse, which led to his becoming a Tri Valley League all-star.

Currently, Balewicz is playing football, competing at quarterback after playing on special teams as a sophomore and outside linebacker as a junior before tearing his ACL. 

“We use a play-action system, so my first read is to pass but I also can run the ball,’’ Balewicz said. “When it comes to the four sports, football requires the most preparation, and hitting a baseball is the toughest thing because a .300 hitter fails on seven of 10 at-bats. My favorite sport is whatever is in season.’’

When coach Joe Santos’ baseball squad gets underway, Balewicz will be in left field. He’ll be easy to spot because of the attributes and the leadership he displays. 

“Kevin is a great competitor,’’ Santos said. “He’s not our fastest player and he doesn’t have the strongest arm but he finds a way to make an impact. There’s not one moment that’s too big for him. He’s athletic, has a high baseball IQ and he’s instinctive. And, he always puts others before himself. We had an informal fall league last year and I was handing out uniform numbers. Our youngest player (Jake Schoenberg) took No. 14. That’s Kevin’s number but he gave up the shirt to Jake. He leads by example and by his actions.’’

Aggressive at the plate and in the outfield, Balewicz is fearless on the bases, always ready to take an extra base. Physical and mental toughness are other assets that he relies on. “Baseball requires mental toughness, especially when facing a talented pitcher,’’ he noted.

A .268 hitter in the 20 games he started as a sophomore, Balewicz’ goals this season are to win as many games as possible, qualify for any league or sectional tourney, and to win whatever playoff format is implemented.

“It would be great to wrap up my career at Holliston by experiencing some kind of a playoff,’’ he emphasized. “My individual goals are to hit .350 and to emerge as a top-quality captain. I want to be a quality leader and to be supportive and positive. That’s important because younger players are listening and watching. Being positive is contagious.’’

Balewicz firmly believes the Panthers have enough talented players who’ll contribute in a positive way. And, he’s a big fan of Santos. “We’re led by an awesome coach,’’ he said. Coach Santos is knowledgeable, is a motivator and he teaches valuable life lessons.’’ 

Balewicz has learned life lessons the hard way — via injury and covid-19. “Overcoming my injury was a lesson in overcoming adversity,’’ he offered. “And, covid-19 has taught me to take nothing for granted and live in the present. Last spring no one thought we’d lose a season but we did.’’ 

Two memorable games Balewicz recalls from his sophomore campaign are contests against Westwood and Dedham. “We lost to Westwood but I went 2-for-3, got a walk and had a solid game in the outfield,’’ he said. “Beating Dedham, which finished at 17-3, was a huge upset.’’

A quality student, Balewicz, who rates his parents (Greg and Kelley) as his role models,  plans on majoring in civil engineering and hopes to design and construct sites for development. If his collegiate choice is a Division 3 school, he hopes to continue playing baseball. 

Fully aware this his high school career is heading for the finish line, he’s excited to begin a new chapter in his life but knows the conclusion at Holliston will be bittersweet. “I remember as a freshman when seniors gave a speech about enjoying high school sports,’’ he recalled. “They said that the time would pass quickly and to enjoy competing. Well, it has gone by fast.’’

A four-sport athlete and two-time captain, Kevin Balewicz is indeed a rare breed competitor whose mature perspective on a variety of topics is refreshing. His coach puts an exclamation point on his achievements and his outlook with these words: 

“Kevin would be happy if he went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts as long as our team was successful,’’ Santos said. “And, if I had a daughter, I’d encourage her to date Kevin.’’