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59 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, June 6, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 24, 2004 For love of the game Rob Folsom’s competitive drive has resulted in a spectacular four-year run at North Medford High By KRIS HENRY Mail Tribune The lure of athletics has always revolved around competition for Rob Folsom. Being rewarded for his pursuits through honors and accolades has been appreciated, but such extras have never been at the root of what makes the 18 year old tick. For Folsom, it’s all been about putting himself to the test. About learning how far he can go, and how much character he truly possesses when an unanticipated limit is reached. "He’s one of those kids that you coach for," says North Medford baseball coach Brett Wolfe. "You just go out there and like to be around him. He treats the game with respect, just like everything else in his life, and doesn’t take anything for granted. He doesn’t expect anything; he goes out and tries to earn it." Advertisement Folsom has been an example in determination and pure love of sport that has graced the Black Tornado athletic programs for four highly successful years. And it’s one that will be making its last hurrah as the state playoffs in baseball charge full-steam ahead today with 32 hopeful teams clamoring for one final prize. "I’ve been thinking about that a lot," Folsom says of a final run with his North teammates that begins at 1 p.m. today when the 10th-ranked Tornado plays host to Jesuit at Miles Field. "It’s a little scary to tell the truth." Folsom has been a fixture to North Medford athletics from the moment he entered the school. Three months into his freshman campaign, you could find him making key tackles on special teams as he played a part in the Tornado’s runner-up run in the 2000 Class 4A football state championships. From that point on, it’s been a non-stop collection of achievements for the 5-foot-8, 182 pounder. "It’s been a fun ride," he says. "There’s been a lot of hard work, a lot of sweat and a lot of blood, but also a lot of good times." He placed fourth at the Southern Oregon Conference district wrestling tournament as a freshman, and was a first-team all-SOC catcher after starting for North and hitting .419 with 17 RBIs in the leadoff spot in his varsity debut. All told in his four years, North Medford’s football team has posted a 41-8 overall record with two SOC titles and two state runner-up finishes. This past season, Folsom was named a first- team all-state linebacker and third-team all-state running back for a Tornado team that picked the wrong time to have an off day. Folsom earned three SOC titles in wrestling, finishing seventh at state as a sophomore and then twice as runner-up at 160 pounds. His lone loss this past season was in the championship final against Brett Arand. He owns almost every hitting record there is for the North baseball program, be it career or single-season achievements, after helping the Tornado to an 83-26 record and two SOC titles to date. He’s been a first-team all-SOC catcher each year, and recently was named SOC player of the year for the second straight season by the conference’s coaches. He was named second-team all- state as a sophomore catcher and first-team all-state last year, and the Oregon State-bound standout is a safe bet to achieve that honor again in the coming weeks. It’s a long list of achievements, and ones Folsom says are just now starting to sink in. "It’s fun to look back on it," says Folsom. "I’m never going to forget the time that I had here (at North). I wouldn’t trade it for the world because I’ve learned too much." Folsom says he never expected to get as many awards as he has as a Tornado, "but I’ve always set my goals high and I push myself hard to accomplish them." From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. each weekday Folsom can be found at North throughout the school year. And thanks to his exploits in American Legion baseball for the Medford Mustangs, which mirror the record-setting efforts of his spring campaigns, his typical time off between seasons has a two-week span in August each year. "But that’s the way I like it," adds Folsom, who also boasts a 3.64 GPA. "It keeps me out of trouble and keeps me focused and I like to compete. What I like to do most is hunt and fish and compete, so it’s all been good for me." And for those fortunate enough to have been around him during his run at North. "When you have a kid like Rob in your program," says Wolfe, "it allows practice to be fun and kids bounce around with energy and enthusiasm." He’s the kind of teammate who jokes around with his peers and encourages them during games, and doesn’t work under any pretense that he’s more valuable than anyone else. "He’s not like that at all," says North second baseman Jeff Adams, whose known Folsom since third grade. "He doesn’t like any publicity or anything like that. He’s pretty laid back." Eight years ago to the day, Adams and Folsom teamed with Eric Ruby as fourth graders to win North Medford’s 3-on-3 basketball competition in the third-fourth grade division. Adams and Folsom teamed together again two years later to come within one victory of the Major Boys State Little League championship. A year later, the duo played big roles in leading the Medford 13-year-old Babe Ruth all-stars to the Southern state championship. "He’s got it in him, he’s a winner basically," Adams says in summing up his hunting and fishing buddy. "He’s got more drive than anybody." And hopefully one more championship in him. "We’ve got a pretty good chance at it," Folsom says of the baseball state playoffs. "We have good talent and our team’s coming together. We’re going to have to get after it and put it together because we have to make it count now. There’s no next season." At least not at North Medford for Folsom, who is admittedly anxious to find out what the future holds for him outside Medford. "It’s been a really good experience for me to be here," Folsom says of North. "I’ve gotten a lot of good coaching in all three sports and I respect a lot of people here and I know I can come back anytime and any of the coaches I’ve had here would help me in a heartbeat. "But at the same time I need to take what they’ve given me and apply that in a different setting," he adds. "As far as athletics is concerned, I’ve had a pretty good run here and I’m ready to go to Oregon State and try to make a name for myself there." Given his track record and competitive drive, that shouldn’t take long. "I feel like I’m never going to let myself reach my potential," says Folsom. "I’m going to keep striving and keep working for something better. That’s just who I am." And a trait everyone else should emulate. Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. 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