Templeton High has a lot of great athletes and each one of them has their own story. Each week we will be introducing you to a different Eagle athlete. Our hope is that you will get to know our players, their sport, their goals and that you will be encouraged to come out and support our teams. Go Eagles.
This week we interview Xander Shaw who is part of our basketball and track programs. Xander suffered a season ending injury during the basketball which required surgery. We sat down and he shared with us his thought on the season, his injury and the upcoming track season.
NEWS FROM THE NEST (NFTN): This season didn’t go exactly as everyone had planned. Midway through the season you had an injury. Can you explain what happened?
Xander Shaw (XS): During the away game at Morro Bay, I felt my knee shift out of place four different times but continued to play through it. When I woke up the next morning, the adrenaline settled and I couldn’t walk. I met with a doctor and after an MRI and further examination the diagnosis was a “bucket-handle” tear in my right lateral meniscus.
NFTN: How long will be you sidelined?
XS: I will be out for the rest of the season due to recovery time from the surgical procedure that was done on February 5.
NFTN: What have you learned from the injury?
XS: Among many other things, this injury has enhanced my love for basketball. You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone and when I lost the ability to play basketball, I felt, and still feel, empty. This injury just gives me even more motivation and desire to play so that when I’m back, I will be even more grateful for every second I’m able to spend on the court with my brothers doing what we love.
NFTN: How has the rest of the team been impacted? What changes have they had to make to be successful?
XS: When the team heard I was going to be out they made various changes to adapt to a new play style while still attempting to maintain a consistent lineup. However, things worked out as many of our players stepped up against Atascadero, leading the team to yet another victory at home.
NFTN: What was a highlight of this year’s season for you?
XS: Regarding myself, we played Santa Maria at home and I dropped 28 points and 20 rebounds (the first 20-20 game of the year on the central coast), leading the team to back to back victories. We have also bonded as a team and become a unit. We continue to learn and adapt through adversity and these challenges are going to push us to be the #1 team in league next year.
NFTN: Who on the team stepped up in your absence?
XS: Senior wing, Evan Asplund (Tike) stepped up and played extremely hard in my absence. Tike was always my partner in practice and we would push each other 110% every day in practice to make sure we are prepared for games. That hard work on both of our ends is really paying off as Tike has had numerous incredible games this season. Junior guard, Josh Kaiser also stepped up and was a leader for our team although he was sick for a few games.
NFTN: You are also a track star for THS. How will your injury affect your track season?
XS: I ran varsity track as a freshman, running the 100M relay, 100M, and 200M, while eventing high jump and long jump. I had the fastest 100M time at THS with an 11.85 sec, and the highest high jump height at 5’ 10”. I competed in CIF for the high jump and I believe I cleared 5’ 10 or 5’ 11” but did not qualify after that. However, due to this injury, I am still considering whether I am doing track this year as a junior.
Thanks Xander for your time. We are sorry about your injury but look forward to seeing you on the court and on the field again soon.
News from the Nest 