Junior middle infielder and pitcher Krew Keyes has grown up with Elk City baseball, and now he’s helping set the standard for the Elks’ next wave.

He said the program’s recent postseason success still stands out as one of his favorite memories. “Going to the state tournament back-to-back,” Keyes said.

Baseball, he added, has taught him how to respond when things don’t go his way. “Don’t put your head down after failure; forget about it and move on to the next play,” he said.

In the classroom, one science teacher made a lasting impact. “Eighth-grade science coach Keyes,” he said when asked about his favorite teacher. “I learned interesting stuff in there.”

At home, his cousin has pushed him to raise his standard. “My cousin Kash he inspired me to work harder and don’t give up,” Keyes said.

On the field, leadership from within the roster has also shaped him. “Catch Geno, good leader and always positive,” he said of the teammate who has left the biggest impression.

Keyes said what he loves most about being an Elk City athlete is the foundation built over years with the same group. “The culture, and the relationships we have and how we all grew up in Elk City and played together our whole lives,” he said.

One line of advice continues to drive his approach. “‘The greatest enemy of great is good’ because if you just want to be good you won’t put in the extra work to be great,” Keyes said.

He is quick to recognize those who have invested in his journey. “I want to say thank you to my parents for always putting in effort and taking me all over to play the game I love and my dad for putting in extra time and effort to coach me up when I was younger,” Keyes said. “Thank you to my coaches for giving me the opportunity to play this sport. Thank you to all my teammates who always push me to be the best version of myself.”

For a role model, he stays close to home. “Kash Mayfield, I have grown up with him and I would go up to the barn or workout with him,” Keyes said.