Oktaha High School’s Nic Tolbert
Senior shortstop Nic Tolbert has made the most of his time at Oktaha High School, embracing a program he says immediately felt like home.
Tolbert transferred to Oktaha as a sophomore and quickly noticed a different level of commitment around the Tigers’ baseball program. “It was such a big change and I fell in love with the way everyone put so much effort and time into baseball there,” Tolbert said. “It was a lot different than what I was used to with school baseball and I never looked back. I’m so grateful to the entire Oktaha community, school and staff for taking me in and making me feel at home from day one.”
At shortstop, Tolbert is tasked with anchoring the middle of the infield and thinking a pitch ahead. He said the toughest part of the position is processing every possible situation before the ball is put in play, from bunt coverages to who cuts off a throw or covers second base based on where runners are.
Offensively, Tolbert keeps his approach simple. He said he does not have a favorite pitch to hit and focuses instead on punishing anything he sees in the strike zone. “If it’s in the strike zone, I plan on barreling it very hard somewhere,” Tolbert said.
Baseball has also given Tolbert lessons that go far beyond stats and box scores. He said the sport has taught him how to handle failure, flush a bad outing or at-bat and move on to the next opportunity. He carries the same mindset into long bus rides, early morning practices and weight-room sessions, which he said are some of his favorite parts of the season because of the memories they create with teammates.
Tolbert credits his family for inspiring his work ethic and values, especially humility, dedication and a strong relationship with God. In the classroom, his favorite subject is biology with Coach Myles Thomas, whom he calls the most positive person he has ever met — and a distant cousin.
As he finishes his senior year, Tolbert said he is thankful for the chance to represent Oktaha and be part of a standard he once only hoped to find.
