Sports
Gimme 5: Spartans' Swistek Cleared for Takeoff
While Oak Lawn pitcher Tony Swistek controls the mound now, in the future he will take control of the runway.
If anything speaks to the cool Oak Lawn senior pitcher Tony Swistek has on the mound, it’s that he’s seeking one of the most stressful jobs in the world.
Swistek, who’s heading to Lewis University next year, wants to be an air traffic controller.
“My grandpa was a pilot for 40-plus years at American Airlines, and I just like flying,” Swistek said.
Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Does the stress of the job intimidate him?
“No, not really," Swistek said.
Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Just this past year, he decided on his career path. He knows what kind of airport he wants to work at, and it’s not O’Hare.
“(I want to work at) one with not too many airplanes coming in every minute, but I don’t want to be sitting around all the time either,” Swistek said.
For the rest of this year, Swistek has a regional championship in mind for the Spartans. How will they get there?
By staying grounded.
“Less mental mistakes, less physical mistakes, and we need to hit the ball well and play well. Hopefully we’ll win it,” Swistek said.
