Bick is Sitting, But Calabasas Receiver Is Not Out

Shane Bick isn't one of those athletes who likes to be on the outside looking in. But this summer, the Calabasas High senior has been dealing with a knee injury and hasn't been able to don a Coyotes uniform.

Rather than be discouraged about the situation and settle for a role as an innocent bystander, Bick has been as involved as possible. Perhaps that best explains his attendance in support of his teammates on Thursday at a 7-on-7 passing tournament against Westlake.

"I can't wait to get back on the field, but I have to make sure that I'm healthy. That's most important,'' Bick said. "Honestly, it's killing me that I'm not able to be out there. If I'm not ready, I'm going to be on the sidelines, trying to help out whenever I can.''

Bick's willingness to stay in the loop, essentially be a prominent figure, should go a long way because the 6-foot-2 receiver is one of the few veterans returning for Calabasas. His knowledge of the offense should be useful for the wide-eyed group of new wideouts.

He was one of Calabasas' top pass-catchers as a junior, most times, the favorite target of quarterback Kyle Zion. Bick ranked among the team leaders in receptions (35), receiving yards (356) and touchdowns (5) and his blocking was equally important in the running game.

"Shane proved he could be a really productive player at this level last season,'' Calabasas coach Larry Edwards said. "He was dependable. What's not to like about that?"

Bick had eight catches for 57 yards in a 42-13 loss to Thousand Oaks in late October. And he proved the effort wasn't a fluke when he pulled down six receptions for another 62 yards in a 45-20 setback to Newbury Park during the first week of November.

Bick finished with five or more catches in five of the eight games he played.

"It's nice having a guy that you know is going to make the catch when you throw the ball in his direction and Shane is that guy for us,'' Zion said. "He's fast and has great hands. Shane has no fear too. He's tough and not scared to go over the middle. He's crazy sometimes. I have a lot of confidence in him. He's my go-to-guy for a reason.''

Bick's 35 receptions were among the Marmonte League's top 10, and four of the six players ranked ahead of him graduated in June. Thousand Oaks' Richard Mullaney and Westlake's Nelson Spruce topped the list with 80 and 65 catches and both return to challenge Bick as the league's top receiver.

"I don't consider myself a household name in our league. Once I'm healthy, 100 percent, I feel like I can make an impact like I did as a junior,'' Bick said. "Getting 50 catches for 700 yards as a senior would be a big accomplishment. That's what I'm shooting for.''

Fair enough - there's nothing wrong with Bick setting a benchmark for himself. Whether he actually achieves his goal or not remains to be seen. But Bick must first continue the rehabilitation process and strengthen his sprained knee.

"I'm feeling better each day,'' Bick said. "I'll be back soon, maybe a couple weeks.''

In the meantime, expect more of the same from Bick.

"No one like to sits on the sidelines and watch, and overall, Shane is taking things well which is a little surprising because he's such a competitor,'' Edwards said. "He's a good leader and he's proving that by being around this summer. Everyone looks up to him.

"In some ways, he's like another coach. He's always at practice or passing tournaments when other kids might even bother showing up if the doctor told them they couldn't play. That's not Shane though. He wants to be involved in some way, shape, or form.''