Oswego East Student-Athlete of the Week-Jack Schultz

Senior Jack Schultz differs from the prototypical vocal leader. Jack usually comes off as reserved upon first meeting him. However, it becomes quite clear after cultivating a relationship with him that Jack has an internal strength that keeps him level-headed and a strong sense to lead by example. Both the cross country and track teams have benefited from Jack’s steady leadership, which is why he is this week’s Oswego East student-athlete of the week.

Competing as a distance runner during the latter half of his high school career, Jack’s first passion was hockey, which he played from the age of six through his sophomore year of high school. However, running was a family-orientated sport. Jack showed an innate ability to excel early in life. “My older brother (Turner) ran for OE, and my parents used to take me on runs when I was younger,” says Jack. He adds, “My parents noticed I took the sport better than they anticipated and encouraged me to try competitively in junior high.”

John and Nicole Schultz, Jack’s parents, tried to encourage their four children to compete in everything. “We have always pushed Jack to be involved in sports because the lessons one learns through sports can be applied to many areas of life,” says John and Nicole.

7th grade provided Jack the first opportunity to run competitively in junior high, but the COVID-19 virus limited his opportunities in 8th grade. “I felt like I would have done well in sectionals and the state tournament that year, but unfortunately it never materialized,” says Jack.

Sports for Jack, like so many others, helped provide an outlet during the tumultuous early years of the pandemic. “Being involved in running and hockey helped Jack stay involved in social and physical activities during the 2020-2021 school years,” says John and Nicole. They go on to say, “I don’t think we could overstate how beneficial daily interaction with his coaches and teammates was during this period of remote education.”

Head coach Jim Milner believes Jack’s dedication to distance running, and innate determination, are what set him up for eventual success during his high school years. “Early in Jack’s career he was torn between playing hockey and running, and in doing both was forced to deal with several injuries,” says Jim. He goes on to say, “Once Jack decided to dedicate himself to distance running, he immediately saw a huge improvement as a runner. Jack has become no-nonsense when it comes to his training and is a tremendous example of what it means to be a senior leader. Even though Jack tends to be serious, he also has a wonderful sense of humor that lightens the mood.”

Jack has set a goal each season for personal best times and through his hard work has eclipsed those each year, only to set new goals for himself. During the cross country season his junior year, Jack broke the 16:00 minute mark. During the spring track season, Jack also broke 4:40 in the 1600m and 10:00m in the 3200m.

This past fall, Jack earned the distinction of being an all-conference and all-regional runner in cross country and helped the team qualify for the state meet. Jack has a personal best time of 9:46.49 in the 3200m and 4:34.07 in the 1600m, and his goal this spring is to break the 4:23 state mark in the 1600m and 9:35 in the 3200m. “Jack is on track to make his goals happen, and with his continued focus and hard work, I have little doubt he will accomplish his goals,” says Jim.

Those goals also include plans after high school. Although Jack is undecided on where he will attend college, he is planning on majoring in Computer Science. “After Jack stopped playing hockey, he began working as an independent contractor doing online graphic design for video games,” says John and Nicole. They go on to add, “Jack was not only able to earn and save a good amount of money, but he also simultaneously improved his GPA every single semester and is currently a straight-A student while enrolled in rigorous courses such as Calculus, Physics, and completing his Computer Science internship.”

Nick Helms, who is in charge of the Computer Science internship program, has witnessed Jack put his skills to use, utilize his level-headed demeanor when troubleshooting issues, and gain integral knowledge that will help him in his future career.

“Jack is conscientious and ensures that he is following directions completely and completes tasks to the best of his ability,” says Nick. He goes on to say, “Jack doesn’t seem to get worked up over minor annoyances and keeps his cool even when he might not be completely certain of an assignment or task. I know he has or is currently taking more of those classes and understanding the code that undergirds software, being proficient with different software systems, and now adding in physical skills with replacing hardware will all provide a solid foundation from which to launch a tech career. I do not doubt that Jack’s attention to detail and hardworking approach to tasks will serve him well.”

With the weather hopefully beginning to cooperate, Jack and his teammates are looking forward to putting their best foot forward this spring and accomplishing their personal and team goals. For future OE runners, Jack says, “Make sure to show up to practice, bond with teammates, and build those relationships, which will not only help you become a better runner but a better student.” The relationships built by Jack and his teammates are what will help them compete in the rugged SPC, as well as provide opportunities to better themselves in hopes they can qualify as many individuals as possible for an opportunity at the state meet.