Haney looks to transfer collegiate success to Bulls

By Lethbridge Herald on June 21, 2024.

Herald photo by JUSTIn SEWard Lethbridge BullsÕ Kalem Haney slides head first into third after hitting an RBI triple against the Okotoks Dawgs during Western Canadian Baseball League action on Friday night at Spitz Stadium in this August 2023 file photo.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Local Lethbridge Bull, Kalem Haney, looks to continue his improvements he made in what was a successful collegiate season for him and transition them into summer baseball with his hometown team.

Haney had a career year for himself  in his second season with  UMary  Marauders baseball club where he hit for a .354 average in 192 at bats, while compiling 48 runs and 68 hits in his second year at the school.

“I wanted to show some of the younger guys on (the) team the right way to play and I kind of got challenged by my coach to do that (and) try to prove that I can be a leader ,” said Haney.

Haney won a Player of the Week honours  and best second baseman in the conference for the first time in his collegiate career for his play on the diamond.

“It was always in the back of the head but it’s not something you can really focus on in the moment,” said Haney.

“So you still have to take it day by day and still work on your craft, whether it’d be fielding, hitting, whatever. I still needed to work and I was lucky and fortunate enough that I won the award at the end.”

Haney went the extra mile with reps in his game in the cage, taking ground balls at second base,   with a coach or teammate and defensive work.

“Just taking every rep seriously and working every day to be better than you were the day before,” said Haney.

Now Haney, in his fourth season with the Bulls, just wants to continue to get better.

“Don’t ever get complacent,” said Haney.

“I want to still have (a) better first step towards the ball, I still want to have quicker feeds towards shortstop for double plays. There’s a bunch of things and I just  want to get better at them all,” he said,

Hitting and defence is what Haney hopes to bring more of to the Bulls line-up.

“I think I (can) bring an all-around game that can help us win another championship like we did in 2021, he said.

Haney wants to be a good teammate to other players.

“If you build your team with good people and good teammates, it makes it a lot more easier to win and it makes it a lot more fun for summer,” he said.

He thinks it’s fun being one of the hometown kids on the team.

“It’s always fun seeing friends (and) family at the ballpark and all the little kids running  around after the games asking for autographs,” he said.

Haney is batting .325, had 26 hits in 80 at bats and has scored 20 runs with the Bulls so far this season.