JEFF FIELDER Editor
BAYARD – Payton Oliverius, who graduated from Bayard High School in May, is this week’s Nspire Today! Male Athlete of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, LLC-American Family Insurance. Oliverius was a three-sport standout throughout his high school career at Bayard, starting all four years in both football and basketball and also lettering all four years in track and field. He competed in the Panhandle Prep All-Star Basketball Game earlier this summer. Other activities that he participated in at BHS were FFA, 4-H, and National Honor Society. He plans to attend the University of Nebraska at Kearney. His parents are John and Heather Oliverius.
Q: How would you describe the way your athletic career went overall at Bayard High School?
OLIVERIUS: “I thought it went pretty good. I started every year in football and basketball and lettered all four years in track, so I had a good high school career.”
Q: Which sport did you enjoy the most?
OLIVERIUS: “Probably basketball. I’ve always been a huge fan of basketball. I watch a lot of basketball games on TV, and I’ve always loved playing the game.”
Q: What was it like competing in the Panhandle Prep All-Star Basketball Game?
OLIVERIUS: “It was a great experience, especially getting to meet the top basketball players from around the area and playing with them. Just getting to play one more basketball game was fun.”
Q: Are you done competing in sports, or do you plan to keep competing in college?
OLIVERIUS: “As of right now, I’m done. I’m going to do intramurals in college – maybe basketball or flag football. I’ve thought about maybe walking on [to the basketball program at UNK], but I’m not sure yet.”
Q: Why did you pick UNK?
OLIVERIUS: “My dad graduated from UNK, so I’ve always kind of had UNK in my blood. Then when I took my college visit there, I loved the campus and the atmosphere.”
Q: How much have you enjoyed growing up in the Bayard area?
OLIVERIUS: “I’ve loved it. I’ve always enjoyed the small-town atmosphere. Also, when you’re in a smaller class, everyone is your friend. You know everyone well, and you hang out with everybody. It’s a good time.”
Q: What do you plan to major in at UNK?
OLIVERIUS: “Agri business.”
Q: Why did you pick that as a major?
OLIVERIUS: “I’ve always wanted to go into an ag-related field. With an agri business degree, I figured I could get a pretty good job in the ag field, helping farmers and ranchers from the business side.”
Q: So what kind of job are you eyeing down the road?
OLIVERIUS: “I kind of want to become an ag lender at a bank.”
Q: Have you competed in sports most of your life?
OLIVERIUS: “Yes, I’ve competed in sports most of my life. I started playing little league sports at the YMCA when I was 3. I started playing football at the Carpenter Center in fourth grade.”
Q: What are your top high school memories in each sport?
OLIVERIUS: “In football, it would probably be starting as a freshman. I was just a little guy, and when the coach gave me a starting spot on the line and then eventually moved me up to being a tight end/receiver, it was an amazing feeling and experience. In basketball, it would probably be earning back-to-back MAC tournament championships. In track, it would be being one of the few people who lettered all four years.”
Q: What was your favorite non-sports activity?
OLIVERIUS: “Probably competing in FFA competitions during the school year. I also showed swine at the Morrill County Fair for FFA. That was fun since it was agricultural-related.”
Q: What’s your thoughts on the state of agriculture right now around here?
OLIVERIUS: “I think it’s pretty good. There’s a lot of people who are still in agriculture. I wish more of the younger generation wanted to get involved in it, but I know some people in my class who said they wanted to move away. I’d like stay around here, though, and farm and ranch.”
Q: In addition to being an ag lender, do you also hope to have your own farm or ranch someday?
OLIVERIUS: “Yes. My parents own a ranch up here where we live [about 16 miles north of Bayard], and I would like to someday take it over. I’m planning to do ag lending, but if something came up where I could afford to buy some decent land, I would like to do that while working at a bank.”
Q: In your opinion, how’s the ranching industry looking right now?
OLIVERIUS: “Well, cattle prices are a little lower than we’d like, but they’re not terrible. We can get along with them. All of the rain definitely helped the grass. It’s been nice this summer, having enough grass for the cattle.”
Q: Outside of school activities, what do you enjoy doing for fun?
OLIVERIUS: “Probably just ranching and taking care of the livestock. Up here where we live, it’s fun doing the daily routine of getting on a four-wheeler and driving out to check cows and hunting when it’s in season – stuff like that.”
Q: You were part of National Honor Society. How important was it for you to maintain excellent grades and be part of NHS?
OLIVERIUS: “It was a great feeling [being part of NHS]. I tried to get in my sophomore year, but there was a lot of tough competition, so I didn’t get in that year. But I tried to get in my junior year, and I got in. It was a good feeling to be part of something really important like that.”
Q: What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?
OLIVERIUS: “Country.”
Q: Name one person who you think is a big difference-maker in the Bayard community.
OLIVERIUS: “I would say Randy McKibbin. He was my football coach for three of my four years, and he was my Carpenter Center coach when I was little. He helps in a lot of sports, and he’s also a weights coach. He tries to make every kid who comes through Bayard High School a better person.”
Q: What’s one place in Bayard that you recommend people visit?
OLIVERIUS: “Probably Chimney Rock for its historical value.”
Q: Is there a neat business in Bayard that you think people should visit?
OLIVERIUS: “We have Tiger Paws, a little convenience store. At lunch during school, everybody goes there. They have pizza and everything else. We’ll sit down there and hang out. The people who work there are always nice and friendly to everybody.”
Q: Do you have any siblings?
OLIVERIUS: “I have one sister, Madison. She’s 16.”
If you would like to nominate someone for Nspire Today!’s Athletes of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, you may do so by sending an email to jeff.fielder@nspiretoday.com or by mailing a letter to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. Nominations may also be submitted by sending a text to 308-220-8865.
In addition to being recognized online, athletes of the week will also be recognized in Nspire Today! magazine. To sign up for a one-year subscription (12 issues) to the magazine, please send $15 to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. To pay with a credit card, please call 308-220-8865. If you would like to increase your subscription to $20, Nspire Today! will donate the extra $5 in July to the DOVES organization.
For all your insurance needs, visit The Kristy Culek Agency, LLC-American Family Insurance, located at 1012 Ave. I in Scottsbluff, or call 308-632-8598.
