Jeff Holtz decided to hang up the football pads this fall.

Holtz loved the sport since a young age, however in the spring Holtz decided it was time to walk away from the gridiron and focus solely on baseball, the other game that fired his passion for sports.

Holtz started playing football in a youth flag league, where he would continue playing until he moved onto a youth football program, and eventually play quarterback and wide receiver for the Arrowhead (Wis.) High School football team.

Being a multi-sport athlete, Holtz would play football in the fall, and transition to the baseball diamond in the spring.

Holtz, who is Arrowhead's baseball varsity catcher, has committed to playing for Indiana University and this fall will play for the Cincinnati Reds scout team.

The high school senior knew the challenges of balancing high school football and playing for the Reds scouting team this fall were going to present some challenges.

Ultimately the potential Major League Baseball draft pick decided on a career in baseball. So he thought.

After feeling uneasy about the decision, Holtz told Lake County Now, "I wanted to find a way to do both. I called the Cincinnati Reds guy and I talked to him about it. He wasn't too happy about me playing football, but it's really something I had to do. Arrowhead football has been in my life since I was in Chiefs and flag football. Doing without it just wasn't an option for me and my family."

Balancing both varsity football on Friday nights and leaving directly after for the Reds scout team on Saturday is going to create a busy fall for Holtz, but he said he wouldn't want it any other way.