The stands were packed with parents and students cheering for the Minutemen. Revere got ready to play as the marching band played in the background. Chase Clifford strapped up his helmet and took the field.
Being a three sport athlete in high school is not easy, but junior Chase Clifford would not want it any other way. It takes a lot of focus and dedication to balance school, sports, and a personal life.
Being a student athlete at Revere High School (RHS), Clifford plays wide receiver in football, shooting guard/small forward in basketball, and pitcher in baseball. Clifford faces the challenges of school and sports head on with lots of hard work.
“The main challenge is finding time to split between your sport, free time, and homework. you can’t just focus on sports and school or else it’ll take a toll,” Clifford said.
Being an athlete can make it hard to get all one’s work done. Clifford does what he can to make sure he maintains good grades during the season. These efforts include everything from getting extra help from peers to an occasional late night study session for a test.
“I try not to take the hardest classes of all time. I get most of my work done in study hall, so I don’t have to stay up at night doing all my schoolwork,” Clifford said.
Clifford is also taking two college credit courses this year adding even more work on top of everything else. He has learned some useful skills through this new challenge.
“I haven’t done [government] yet, but in English it’s mostly writing essays. So far, it’s taught me how to organize myself throughout my life,” Clifford said.
When it comes to sports Clifford gets his motivation from a few places. He gets a lot of support from his family and works hard to push himself to be better. This support helps Clifford be the best version of himself on and off the field.
“My parents did a really great job motivating me to play sports at a young age. I also did a really good job motivating myself to play sports because if I didn’t motivate myself enough, then I feel like I couldn’t play as good as I am now,” Clifford said.
After a busy week of school and sports Clifford likes to relax and wind down on the weekends. He does this through activities like golf with family and friends.
“I like going out on a Saturday or Sunday and playing golf by myself or with my friends. It really just calms me down,” Clifford said.
Elijah Sedor is one of Clifford’s close friends and has known him for a large portion of his life. From being a friend to a peer Clifford is a great person to be around. He has an impact on the people around him.
“I’ve known Chase since first grade. It’s been about 10 years now … He’s a fun person to hang around with. He always lightens the mood everywhere you go,” Sedor said.
Clifford had to switch from quarterback to wide receiver this year due to an arm injury. Although it is a big change he has handled it well, and tries to make the best out of his situation.
“He is still able to perform at a high level as a receiver, as he did at quarterback,” Sedor said.
Billy D’Amico is a teacher and coach at RHS, coaching football and track. D’Amico has known Clifford for four years, and has seen him grow since 8th grade. Clifford manages to sift through all the distractions of high school life to find what really matters and get it done. Clifford displays great character on and off the field.
“Chase is the same out on the field as he is in the classroom and on the basketball court and in the baseball field. He’s very, very dedicated and it’s very hard to get him derailed from his focus and dedication. I would say it’s laser focus,” D’Amico said.
Clifford plans to continue his journey as a three sport athlete in high school and looks to play baseball at the collegiate level.
