Saturday morning Shawn Wick wakes up and eats a quick breakfast before the day’s track meet. Wick gets to the fieldhouse and starts to prepare for his events. The coach’s whistle blew and Wick finished his stretches, chatted with some teammates, and then got set. As the starting pistol fired Wick took off, and in a few seconds the race was over. In a little bit Wick would be doing it all over again. By the end of the meet Wick had broken personal records and beaten the other schools competing that Saturday. 

Sophomore, Shawn Wick, is one student-athlete among many who compete for Revere High School. Wick has been playing sports for as long as he can remember. Now as a high schooler, Wick looks forward to those same sports at the end of each day.

Throughout his life, Wick has participated in many sports and narrowed them down to just two in high school.

“I started playing sports back in kindergarten, like soccer and baseball. Then as I got older, I tried new things like basketball, tennis, and wrestling. But the two sports that I’ve decided to stick with are football and track. I really enjoy them, and they fit well into my schedule, so they were the best choices for me. I play football in the fall, and [run] track in the spring. Most people do a similar split if they’re a two-sport athlete, with a season between each sport,” Wick said.

In track, Wick is a sprinter for Revere while being a defensive back in football

“My events in track are the 100, 200, four by one, and the four by two. I thought running would fit me, so I chose that and I love it. As a defensive back, I have to be quick on my feet, so the two sports have pretty similar skill sets that let me improve one when playing in the other. I’m constantly getting better and that’s really all you can ask for,” Wick said.

For Wick, sports hold a more personal place in his heart than most.

“The team aspect for me is probably the most important part of sports. It’s the brotherly love with people that I enjoy hanging out with after school. It’s what I look forward to at the end of each day, and I know a lot of people who’d agree. Winning makes everybody happy, but you can’t win everything,” Wick said.

Wick describes his favorite moment in his career.

“My favorite moment so far is probably winning the Copley game in football that I got to be a part of. Any athlete at Revere understands the Copley rivalry, and even more so for the football players. The stands were packed and the game was close the entire night. Sharing that with so many friends and family was a great experience that I’ll never forget,” Wick said. 

The life of any successful student-athlete is the epitome of a balancing act, Wick understands this and plans his schedule accordingly.

“I tend to plan out my week, anything important and I’m on top of it. I’m always planning my schedule a minimum of a day or two ahead so I never fall behind. For me, my academic career is extremely important. I know that’s how I’m going to succeed in life, it’s how I model myself and how I motivate myself. It’s so easy to mess up your school life if you don’t pay attention to the small things, so that’s what I do,” Wick said. 

Sophomore Alex Cable has been playing sports with Wick for several years and discussed Wick’s work ethic.

“Shawn’s the perfect example of a hard worker who feeds off of his teammates energy to work harder each day at practice” Cable said.

In life sacrifices are a given for anybody; Wick is no exception to this.

“I think a lot of people can say this as well, but I’ve sacrificed my physical and mental health. Not completely, but it’s there. I think any student-athlete or student or athlete could agree that school and sports take a toll on you. You have to work through it and remind yourself why you’re sacrificing those things,” Wick said.

One of the important aspects of any sport is teamwork and Wick’s focus on that fact doesn’t go unnoticed.

“Shawn is a real team player, he puts others before himself, always cheering others on, and making sure to help whenever possible”, Freshman Ben Eberhardt said.

Since he is a sophomore, Wick still has two years of high school ahead of him, but he has already learned a few lessons from sports. 

“One thing I’ve learned is that if someone is trying to help you, let them. When someone has to stop and talk with you, you’re probably missing something, so stop and listen. Just listening has helped me with coaches and teammates. To simplify it though, just be humble, especially when you’re new to something” Wick said. 

As a high school athlete, Wick has to decide whether or not he will play after high school.

“I probably won’t play a sport in college, to be frank. Unless I’m under a scholarship for it. I don’t really want to, and it’s not part of my goals in college. My academics is going to be how I succeed and that’s even more true in college than high school,” Wick said.

For all the people interested in taking that next step in their life, Wick has some advice. 

“If you’re interested in something, the best thing to do is try it. Just come out and do it. A common misconception is that sports are too hard or not worth it. You need to decide that for yourself and try new things. That’s one of the reasons I’m doing what I’m doing now, and that mentality helps me grow as a person,” Wick said. 

Outside of his school life, Wick enjoys relaxing by focusing his efforts on side hobbies.

“Something I’ve been working on is learning to play the guitar. I’ve been trying to learn for a while, and I’m planning to learn over the summer to play it. Of course, when I’m not working as a lifeguard that is. I enjoy the job and just like football and track fits into my schedule, so it’s a nice way to get some sun and money,” Wick said.

As the season goes on, Wick only looks to improve. Whether it’s in athletics or his academics, Wick always aims to stay on top. Being a sophomore student-athlete, Wick still has a lot to do in high school, and he’s looking forward to making the most of his time at Revere.