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Four Weston High graduates returned Thursday to give students and parents a pep talk on the value of sports and its impact on their lives. They said the commitment, perseverance and time management they learned taking part in athletics helped them succeed.
"Sports taught me to take challenges and turn them into opportunities,'' said Ryan Loechner, who captained three teams at Weston and is now the school's swimming coach. The other members of the forum were Mike Evans, Ali Atkinson and Gordie Zimmerman. The Weston Sports Commission organized the event. WSC president Michael Carter served as moderator.
Evans was captain of the WHS basketball team and Weston's first All-State player in 15 years. He went on to Hamilton College and played professionally in Northern Ireland. He decided in middle school to devote himself exclusively to the sport he nearly quit after his sophomore year. "I was down and out,'' he said. "I was going to quit, or I was going to make this work." He went to the school at 5 a.m. every day to workout. "I was there before the sun came up, before any teacher was here,'' Evans said. "I saw two names on the All-State wall. I wanted to join that group."
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