Oswego East Student Athlete of the Week-Matt Blanco

Senior Matt Blanco understands adversity. When Matt’s freshman and sophomore track campaigns never really got off the ground due to injuries, he easily could have given up and stopped running. However, Matt’s determination and grit led him to rehabilitate and become a school record holder, which is why he is this week’s Oswego East student athlete of the week.

Running has always been a passion for Matt, starting his track career as a 6th grader. His drive has always been competition, and track provides not only an outlet for competition against others, but a consistent push against oneself to beat previous personal records.

Matt’s career could have been derailed before he started. His freshman year required a lot of time in rehab and the training room. Matt’s parents,Michelle and Brad Blanco, recall Matt’s perseverance to come back even stronger. “[Matt] dealt with any injuries without giving up and kept working hard,” says Matt and Michelle. Matt’s head coach, Jim Milner, believes his ability to overcome injuries has made him an even stronger runner. “Working through injuries can be very frustrating, so when Matt would get the opportunity to race he became very aggressive, leaving all he had on the course or track. Now, Matt runs every race as if he won’t get another one.”

Racing with such pride and vigor has vaulted Matt to one of top runners in conference, as well as school history. Matt competes in the 1600m, 3200m, and is a member of the 4x800m relay team. Matt holds the indoor school record in the 3200m, and just won the 1600m at indoor conference. Matt is hoping he can parlay his success this winter into an even bigger spring, with the goal of become an all-state athlete in the 2 mile run.

While coming back from injuries is never easy, Matt’s rehabilitation gave him an opportunity to find a new passion. This fall, Matt will be attending Illinois State University, running track, and majoring in Exercise Science with plans to attend graduate school for Athletic Training. Track, and having to overcome injuries, helped Matt realize his passion for how the body operates and is able to overcome injuries.

Shay Brown, the head athletic trainer at Oswego East, spent plenty of time with Matt helping him overcome his injuries. Matt also enrolled and did well in Sports Medicine, a class taught by Shay. As a student, Shay says about Matt, “Matt is a model student-athlete.” She goes on to add, “[Matt] did a phenomenal job being engaged in the classroom and during clinical hours. He has a willingness and an ability to help others and is extremely intelligent. He is able to take what he learns in a classroom and apply it in a clinical setting, which is critical to being an Athletic Trainer.”

Matt, and his teammates, are hoping to leave their mark this spring by placing in the top 3 in conference, and qualifying as many athletes as possible for the state meet.

As of now, Matt’s time in the 2 mile would qualify him for state, but never satisfied, he is looking to improve that time for an opportunity at medaling. As Matt’s senior year rapidly comes to a close, he reflects on the path that put him in a position to be a top runner in the area, and understand what his academic future holds. For any future Wolves, Matt advises, “Always keep working for what you want, and get involved in clubs, sports, and activities to meet new people.” Good luck to Matt and his teammates as they finish the winter portion of their season, and gear up for the outdoors.