Super Kid: Brian O'Donnell, Stanwood High

Q: What is the most important thing we should know about you?
A: I have a twin brother named Kyle. We're fraternal twins, but we look similar. Every day somebody calls me Kyle. Sometimes I go with it and say, 'Hey, what's up?' It's OK, my brother has to deal with it, too. Kyle is loud and obnoxious, though, and that's how some people tell us apart. I can say that. He knows it's true. Our parents couldn't handle any more kids than us.

Q: Do you guys do a lot together?
A: We have the same circle of friends and we play football for Stanwood. He's on the offensive and defensive lines. I play tight end and defensive end. Kyle got more of the athletic ability and I got more of the smarts.

Q: Even so, you received the most fan votes in a recent Herald football player of the week poll?
A: Yeah, I set a school record with 11 receptions for 70 yards, and I got a touchdown in our win over Shorecrest in October.

Q: So what do you want to do after high school?
A: I would like to continue to play football in college, but ultimately I would like to be a sports broadcaster. So I need to go somewhere with a good broadcast journalism program. Maybe Washington State or Boise State or Montana State.

Q: A sports reporter, huh?
A: Yeah, I am the sports editor of our school's online newspaper, the Spartan Spectrum. I love it, except when I have to get someone else to write the football story because I'm in it. I read the newspaper sports sections, and I read a lot online. If I do make it to broadcast, I'm not sure I could handle play-by-play. I would love to be a pre- and post-game reporter, though. I like watching ESPN. They know their stuff, they are well-spoken and they deliver it with humor.

Q: Along with journalism, what other classes do you have this semester?
A: I have AP (Advanced Placement) calculus and physics, accounting, civics and poetry. I like taking accounting from my basketball coach, Zach Ward, and my teacher, Kathy Redfern, knows how to make calculus accessible. She is great. As far as poetry goes, it's just another good writing course. I have a good imagination, and I especially like rhymes.

Q: What sort of music do you listen to?
A: I like all genres. Country. Hip-hop. Right now I'm listening to old-school rap by Tupac.

Q: So what do you foresee for Stanwood's basketball season?
A: I'm 6-foot-4-inches and play forward, but we have some guys who are close to 7 feet and some returning all-league players. We were first in Wesco last year, and I predict we're going to repeat that. Absolutely. We expect nothing less.

Q: And in the spring sports season?
A: Kyle doesn't play basketball, but he throws discus and javelin on the track team. I might do track this year with him. Not sure yet.

Q: What are some of your volunteer activities?
A: I help with the Youth Hoops Camp for elementary and middle school kids and I've helped coach the summer football at Camp Casey.

Q: Will you miss your twin brother next year?
A: Oh, probably, but we want to go to different schools and see what it's like to be apart from each other. It'll be fine.

Q: Is Stanwood a good place to live?
A: My mom is a Lervick. We've been in Stanwood for many generations. Some people say it's boring here, but I love Stanwood and I always find something to do. I probably will want to come back here to live someday.

Herald Writer Gale Fiege, 425-339-3427, gfiege@heraldnet.com