By BEN KLEINE

Staff writer

On his last day of summer workouts, former Goessel High School standout and KSU walk-on Weston Hiebert walked into his coach’s office and learned that he had made the 120-man roster for the Kansas State University football team.

However, he did not make the camp team that was going to continue to practice July 28 through Aug. 21 when school starts.

“I was just really happy that I made the team,” Hiebert said. “All the work paid off. I wasn’t too crushed that I didn’t make the camp team.”

Hiebert has until the beginning of school, Aug. 21, to hang out with friends and family and relax before heading back to the bustle of a busy schedule filled with classes, workouts, and practices.

“I don’t know what it will be like during the school year,” he said.

Over the past week, Hiebert has helped on the family farm in rural Goessel and worked on a tractor he displayed Saturday at Threshing Days.

Although he has cleared his first hurdle by making the team, Hiebert is determined to show KSU coaches that they made the right decision by adding him to the roster.

“I’d still say I’m out to prove that I should be (out) there,” Hiebert said.

Every day during the summer, Hiebert learned more of the KSU defense and became more comfortable when he was thrown into the mix with experienced players.

“The first couple of days, you know absolutely nothing. It’s a shock,” Hiebert said. “It’s definitely a lot easier now.”

As Hiebert gets more comfortable, his ability to read the offense and react quickly to the play has improved.

“A lot of it is instinct and reaction,” Hiebert said. “Everyone is so explosive at this level. In high school, some people might be fast or quick, but not many were big, fast, and explosive.”

Hiebert has also put on 15 pounds of muscle to add to his power.

Hiebert is expecting to redshirt this year and said that not making the camp team does not diminish his likelihood of playing later in his career.

One of the current Kansas State players who has encouraged Hiebert and the other walk-ons is Alex Hrebec.

Hrebec is projected to be a starting linebacker and a team captain for the Wildcats in his senior season. Hrebec did not make the camp team his freshman year.

“Alex Hrebec really helped us out a lot,” Hiebert said. “The guys that were in this situation, they know how hard it is.”