Brody Kalwinski was given a new nickname after he became Lowell’s starting quarterback.
It reflected his teammates’ respect for him.
“We call him ‘General Kal,’” Lowell senior tight end Zak Scharnke said. “He’s our leader. Everyone wants to be like him, and everyone tries their hardest just to be as good as him. That’s how good of a leader he is. He’s not just the general of the offense but of the entire team.”
Kalwinski, a 6-foot-1, 183-pound senior, describes himself as “robotic.” To him, that reflects the disciplined, detail-driven mindset he brings to football and life.
The Red Devils (4-1, 2-0), who will play Northwest Crossroads Conference rival Hobart on the road on Friday, have already matched their win total from each of the past two seasons, and much of that success stems from the leap Kalwinski has made at quarterback with that mindset.
A third-year starter, Kalwinski has thrown for 550 yards, nearly a career high, and a career-high five touchdowns this season. He has also rushed for 409 yards and seven touchdowns, solidifying his status as a dual-threat quarterback.
Kalwinski, a former defensive back, was known more for his running game before this season. He said his growth as a passer came after hours of studying film and stacking reps.
“I really honed my mechanics by throwing as much as I could from winter through summer,” he said. “I understand the concepts now and trust my progressions. I don’t feel rushed anymore. I worked a lot on my footwork, making sure I don’t get happy feet and bail from the pocket too soon.
“A lot of that is thanks to my offensive line this year. I trust those guys 100%. I don’t worry about anyone getting through, so I can just focus on throwing the ball, and it’s allowed me to be more comfortable in the pocket.”
Casey McKim, Lowell’s first-year coach, has seen Kalwinski’s growth firsthand.
“From a quarterbacking standpoint, his decision-making has vastly improved,” McKim said. “He’s become one of the most accurate guys I’ve been fortunate enough to coach. He’s decisive, and he’s a tough, physical runner. He’s not going to dance around. He’s going to lower his shoulder and get the yards needed to keep the chains moving.
“He’s the complete package.”
But McKim said Kalwinski’s leadership qualities truly set him part.
“If you want to talk intangibles, the kid is a natural-born leader,” McKim said. “The team looks to him. He does everything the right way, and he’d tell you that, too, and it’s not just talk. He just always does the right thing. He leads by example and does so vocally, and everyone follows.”
Kalwinski’s commitment to the role traces back to a childhood dream. He said he had wanted to be Lowell’s starting quarterback since he was 7 years old.
“Since Pop Warner, the mission was to be an old kid someday, and here I am,” he said. “If you asked younger me, I wanted to be the all-time leading passer in Lowell history. Things haven’t panned out that way, but I don’t really think about that anymore. Now I just want to be known as a guy who took the team far.
“On Friday nights, I see little kids looking up at me. The ball boys know my name. I hope they see someone who’s a leader, confident and does the right things. Hopefully, they’ll adopt those traits when they play.”
Faith is a cornerstone of Kalwinski’s life. Whether attending church or leading the Christian Fellowship club he helped start, it’s a priority for him. Through Bible studies, he has bonded with teammates off the field.
So perhaps it’s not surprising that Kalwinski’s goal for the season is rooted in something deeper than personal success.
“It could be defined as serving something greater than yourself,” he said. “I’m confident we can make it to the dome and play for a state title. If you don’t believe that, why are you playing? We have the coaches and players to get there, and I have total faith we will.”
But Kalwinski doesn’t want the team to get ahead of itself.
“You can’t think too much about the future,” he said. “You have to focus on the day-to-day. It’s about getting better every single day, and we have to take care of business.”
Noah Poser is a freelance reporter.