Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s William Kiburis, grows into top base-stealer, pitcher and catcher

REINBECK, Iowa (KCRG) - When Scott Kiburis moved to Iowa with his family, he was supposed to just be the boys basketball coach at Gladbrook-Reinbeck, but the school asked if he could coach baseball too.

“I told then ‘no’ three times, but I finally said ‘I’ll do it, but I’m gonna have to take my youngest son William with me. He was four years old at the time,” Scott said. “My wife would go crazy with him at home because he’s constantly wanting to do stuff.”

That’s how William Kiburis first came into the Rebel dugout and he hasn’t left since.

“(I was) just trying to help wherever I can even though I really wasn’t much of a help,” William said. “Always in the infield probably bothering a bunch of guys but I was just having a blast hanging out there.”

When he graduated from bat boy to varsity player, Kiburis was first a bit wild on the mound.

“I wasn’t really throwing too hard so I didn’t hurt too many people but I did have a tendency to kind of hit too many guys,” William said. “Got a little older, got a little stronger, tried to focus on throwing the ball hard and throwing it accurately.”

Kiburis is having a stellar senior season for the Rebels, leading the state with 113 strikeouts and 49 steals.

“Being a pitcher, definitely help stealing bases you already know what they might do what they’re thinking,” he said.

“He’s stealing so often, you might be able to pick up on our signs,” Scott said. “So I might have to say ‘I’m not gonna give you a sign you’re gonna have to pick your pitch.’”

He says swiping bags isn’t all about pure speed.

“I just watch (the pitcher’s) feet sometimes I tip the bill of my hat down so I’m only watching their feet,” he said.

Next year, Kiburis will play basketball at Upper Iowa, but he says he couldn’t miss one last summer on the diamond with dad and his friends.

“It’s been super special just sharing all these years which (my dad) the experience has been great,” William said. “Just playing with (my friends) has been so much fun all these last summers, hopefully we can make this last one a good one.”

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