At the PSAC Indoor Championships
this past weekend, junior sprinter Kevin Shaw competed in his first two PSAC finals
events. The Ivyland native placed in both events, clocking a 22.55 in the 200
meters to finish sixth and a 50.21 in the 400 meters to finish eighth.
The management
major also qualified in both the 200 and 400 at the PSAC Indoor Championships
during his freshman season in 2010 and last season qualified in the 200 while also
contributing the PSAC Champion Raider DMR squad that won in 10:12.52.
Get
to know Kevin Shaw…
What
is your favorite pre-meet ritual?
When I was younger I had multiple
rituals I would have to do before a race. I had to listen to certain songs and
eat certain foods but I don’t necessarily do that anymore, the only thing I do
now and have always done in my career is say a prayer before each race to thank
God.
What
part of Shippensburg, either the campus or the town, do you most enjoy?
My house on Earl Street. I live
with about 10 other teammates (not including all of the teammates that stop by
on a daily basis), so there is always something interesting going on. There’s
never a dull moment at the Earl Street Track House.
What
is the best class you've taken at Shippensburg?
I would have to say that
International Business is my favorite class I’ve taken here.
If
you weren't majoring in management, what would your major be?
I would major in something to do
with aviation.
What
is your favorite day of the week, and why?
My favorite day of the week is
Friday. Classes go way faster when it’s Friday and most of the time it’s a day
before a meet so our practice is short and easy.
Which
are your favorite PSAC schools to compete against, and why?
I love competing against all of
the PSAC schools because it is such a great rivalry between all of us. But If I
had to narrow it down I would have to say Lock Haven and East Stroudsburg
because their sprinters give us the best competition.
If
we asked your teammates to say a few words about you, what do you think they
would say?
I would hope they would say that
I like to joke around and have a good time but when it comes down to getting
serious before a competition, I am all business.
Which
individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?
None. I know it sounds corny, but
I set goals for myself to hit when I got to college and I haven’t achieved those
goals yet, but WHEN I do, they will be my proudest accomplishments.
What's
the most difficult part of being a student-athlete?
I believe the hardest part is
trying to give school a 100 percent effort during the season. You are trying to
do your best in both but most of the time your mind is focused on the upcoming
meet. It can get very stressful juggling both academics and track.
What’s
the most important thing you’ve learned being a student-athlete?
Time management. Managing your
time between school and track becomes crucial. Being on the track team is very
different from other sports, because we have two seasons back-to-back so we
have practice five days a week starting in October and ending in May. Finding
time for schoolwork can sometimes be difficult so managing your time is key.
What
piece of advice stays with you at all times?
My dad has always told me to live
life with no regrets and to do everything at 100 percent and not halfway. So I
always try to apply that with everything I do whether that is school, a job or
track.
If
you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in
running, what would you tell them they should focus on?
My best advice I could give is
just to have fun. Don’t take the sport or yourself too seriously and just enjoy
it. Once you stop enjoying it, then it becomes work.
What
legacy do you hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg?
As an upperclassman I try to
promote a close-knit group of friends between the sprinters and I just hope the
younger guys take notice and follow in the footsteps of the older guys and keep
this group tight because these are friends you will have forever.
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