“Awesome” Dawson: passionate competitor

“Awesome” Dawson Bond stepped into his debut varsity prep career last summer on the baseball field. He came in clutch throughout the season in the field, on the mound, and at the plate. He played a big role on the Tiger football team, and continued to compete for Red Oak on the mat, placing third at districts, just shy of qualifying for the state wrestling tournament. Bond was ready for the track season to begin, but it ended before he got started as the spring sports season was delayed in mid-March amid concerns over the coronavirus.
“He impressed a lot of people last baseball season as an eighth grader,” Red Oak baseball head coach Mark Erickson said. “We put him in some really tough positions on the mound. He was fearless.”
Bond gives credit to the upperclassmen, whom he says helped him be a better competitor and person.
“I felt excited and honored to be able to play with a great group of upperclassmen,” Bond said. “My coaches prepared me well, and I had a lot of support from my teammates. I think baseball really helped me handle the pressure, and it showed me the level I needed to get on to compete with high school players, compared to middle school.”
Bond’s baseball stats include starting 26 of the 27 games played. He scored 15 runs on 23 hits, struck out eight times, and walked eight times in 86 at bats for a batting average of .267. He had eight RBI, and went seven for seven in stolen bases.
Bond had 13 appearances on the mound, pitching 16 innings. He struck out nine and walked 14 of the 70 opponents he faced.
“There are a lot of reasons that Dawson is an easy kid to root for as a fan, teammate, or coach,” Erickson said. “The most impressive trait to me, so far, has been his work ethic. He attends almost every extra opportunity his coaches provide for him, including the strength and conditioning sessions. He’s passionate about getting better every day.
“The young man loves to see his teammates succeed, and he has great teammates that love to share his success.”
Playing sports was not a new activity for Bond. He began playing soccer in preschool, then went on to play flag football and JVAA wrestling in first grade. He added baseball to his activities in third grade.
“My mom, Kim, played volleyball, basketball, softball, and ran track,” Bond said. “And dad, Damien, played football and ran track.” Bond has a brother Brody and sister Nicole.
“Dawson’s best attribute is that he is an unbelievable competitor,” Red Oak football head coach Ryan Gelber said. “Everything he does, he does at a high level with great attitude and effort. He is up for any task you put in front of him, and pushes himself and his teammates to achieve expectations.”
Bond ended his football season leading the Tigers in kick-off returns with 13 for 209 yards, averaging 16.1 yards per return. He had seven punt returns for 53 yards, rushed six times for six yards, and added 99 yards on 12 receptions.
Defensively, he finished with 17 solo tackles and 4.5 tackle assists, and one interception.
“I felt the pressure to perform well to win and to keep earning my spot on the team in football,” Bond said. “I look up to Justin McCunn and Bruce Lukehart because of their work ethic in sports and out of sports. They never make excuses.”
As the winter sports season rolled around, Bond began competing in his favorite sport: wrestling. Bond’s freshman year record was 41-17, including an 11th place at the Kansas City Stampede. The 41 wins are the most ever for a Red Oak freshman.
“Johnathon Erp 40, Seth Esaias 39, Justin McCunn 38, and Brandon Erp 38 round out the top five,” Red Oak head wrestling coach Tiegen Podliska said.
“My Hawkeye 10 semi-final match was my favorite because of the support throughout the match, and having the former wrestlers and teammates beside the mat,” Bond said.
Bond was disappointed that he did not make it to the state wrestling tournament. He finished third at districts, just one place shy of qualifying.
“I wanted to go to state, but it gives me something to work for next year, and gives me motivation,” Bond said.
“His attitude has been phenomenal,” Podliska said. “During some of the early season workouts, he wasn’t pushing himself as much as we thought he was capable of, so myself and some seniors challenged him and told him he didn’t have to be the best underclassman in the group. Instead, he could challenge himself and challenge for the top spot in the group. From that day forward, he pushed himself in everything, he associated himself with the right people at practices and tournaments. He started doing what the elite do in morning runs, Monday workouts, and choosing practice partners.
“There were some bumps along the way. For instance the Kansas City Stampede, Dawson went 4-6,  and probably lost more matches in that tournament than he did last year. Every kid he lost to was either a state champion, state place-winner, or state qualifier, but he was still frustrated with his performance. He took it the right way and it fueled him.”
Bond was planning on having a track season this spring.
“We all know that Dawson is doing everything he can right now to get better,” Gelber said. “There are no weight facilities open, but we know he is running around town and lifting whatever he can find to get better. This is no setback for him; only an alternate script.”
Bond admits he is continuing to train.
“I work out everyday with free weights, a tire, and wooden posts my dad has around the house,” Bond said. “I keep motivated so I never feel the pain of a loss again.”
Bond made many memories with his teammates during the sports seasons.
“Last year’s class of seniors and this year’s class of seniors were very supportive, and it was always fun messing around with them during practices,” Bond said.
All three coaches are looking forward to the rest of Bond’s high school career.
“He has made a great deal of progress in his one year of high school athletics, and it is exciting to think about what he has the potential to achieve,” Gelber said. “There is a lot in front of him, and he is going to attack those expectations every day.”
And all three coaches affirm his work with his teammates.
“We are lucky to have him for four more years in baseball,” Erickson said. “If he stays on the right path in terms of his work ethic, I have no doubt we will see many special moments for Dawson and his teammates.”
“He has a sour taste in his mouth from the district tournament,”Podliska said. “He knows his focus now is the next best thing. He can still qualify three times and win multiple state titles; what he does between now and then will determine his fate.”