Oswego East Student-Athlete of the Week-Harrison Moran

Junior Harrison Moran has the physical makeup that makes him easily recognizable as a member of the volleyball team. Tall, strong, and athletic, Harrison has spent all three years at the varsity level and is relied on as a middle blocker. Despite being physically gifted, what makes Harrison stand out from his peers is his leadership and passion for always wanting to improve his own game. Despite a slow start, the Wolves have come on as of late, and a lot of that is due to both Harrison’s play and leadership, which is why he is this week’s Oswego East student-athlete of the week.

Harrison has seemingly always had a knack for athletics, but it was not always on the volleyball court. “Athletically, Harrison has been gifted with God-given ability and size, which has been demonstrated throughout his youth when he played park district soccer then transitioned to club soccer, and similarly for baseball where he excelled,” says Brent and Michelle Moran, Harrison’s parents.

It was not until his 8th-grade year that volleyball became a fixture in Harrison’s life. “My parents wanted me to stay active, so they enrolled me in a winter camp at Sports Performance,” says Harrison. Harrison immediately stood out to the coaches and staff due to his athleticism and play. “Michelle and I wanted to provide some additional training in volleyball before 8th grade volleyball season at Plank Jr. High, and after a few weeks at the three-month camp, the program director asked Harrison to join his 14U Elite team, the top team at his age group,” says Brent and Michelle.

The staff at Oswego East immediately noticed Harrison’s skill set and moved him to the varsity team as a freshman. Dru Filkins, who is in his first year as head of the program but has been on the staff for several seasons, says, “As a freshman playing on varsity, Harrison was trying to fit in and survive.” He goes on to say, “He has, however, grown as a player, and especially a leader, over the past 3 seasons.”

Often it is assumed the most athletically gifted talented players will automatically be leaders on any given team, an assumption that is not always the case when you speak to coaches in every sport. However, Harrison takes the role of team leader seriously and holds himself just as accountable as everyone else. “After we lost to JCA this season, Harrison asked if he could get some extra work in with our setter so he wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes,” says Dru. He goes on to say, “It was already a long day with the bus ride and playing a little later, so to show he wanted to put in extra work at 8:30 at night speaks volumes about both his leadership and where he was as a freshman.”

Setting the example allows leaders to hold their teammates accountable, something Harrison is more than willing to do. “We did not have the best practice last Friday, and Harrison took it upon himself to text the team later that day that the effort was unacceptable and they needed to practice harder if they were going to win, including himself,” says Dru. Harrison’s growth as a leader is evident in how he views himself as a member of both the team and the school, with Brent and Michelle saying, “Harrison’s experience as an underclassman provided him with unique experiences as a person and student which have certainly had a positive impact in his life. Harrison takes great pride in attending Oswego East and getting the opportunity to compete for his high school.

Harrison has 36 kills, 10 aces, and 4 blocks on the season, despite missing 5 games this season. Although the Wolves got off to a slow start this season, they rebounded by winning the silver division and going 4-1 in the Joliet West Tournament. They are 9-5 on the season, which includes a two-set win over crosstown rival Oswego last night.

Harrison is speaking with several colleges about playing volleyball at the next level, something that is very much in his plans. In addition to playing collegiate volleyball, Harrison plans on majoring in Finance and going on to obtain his real estate license. Stacy Sadjer Adams, Harrison’s Business Law 2 teacher, believes Harrison’s personality aligns well with his future plans, saying, “Harrison’s strengths are that he is extremely personable and gets along well with everyone.” She goes on to say, “I think interacting with people daily, as opposed to sitting in a cubicle, speaks well to his strengths, and attaining his real estate license would be a great fit for him.”

Harrison and his teammates have shown consistent improvement this season, and with a key member of the team Ryan Schuitema returning from injury, they are poised to position themselves as one of the upper-echelon teams in the state. Harrison and his teammates are taking this season a game at a time, which begins this weekend in one of the most challenging tournaments in the state that takes place at Brother Rice High School. For future Wolves, Harrison advises them by saying, “Do not slack in school, make sure it is your top priority, but also make sure you find time to go out and have fun, and go to school events, sporting events, and try new sports, activities, and clubs to help meet new people.” The team shows no signs of slacking when it comes to practice and competitive play and is poised to make a big statement this weekend by playing some of the best competition in the state.