Ideally, high school athletics revolve around teamwork and personal growth. But David Whalen, who tried his fair share of sports over the years, said nothing compares to cross country. “I like the team aspect more. When you’re out for cross country, you run for each other.” Read on for a rundown on this fantasy-football fanatic.
Coach’s corner Whalen has been on the Terrace cross country team for just two seasons, but Hawks coach David LeWarne said the outgoing senior had an immediate positive influence: “He’s already made a big impact on the team in such a short time because of his personality and work ethic.” LeWarne called Whalen a “grinder” and a bulldog who motivates the team.
Captain, oh, captain Teammates picked Whalen, who floats between the Nos. 5 and 6 varsity slots, to be a team captain last fall and again this season. “He’s extremely sincere,” LeWarne said, “and wants everybody to put out effort. They don’t have to (win) but they’ve got to put out effort.” “You just go out there and you just give 100 percent,” Whalen said of his attitude.
Favorite runner Steve Prefontaine, who won seven NCAA titles at the University of Oregon and placed fourth in the Olympics in 1972 (5,000 meters) before dying in a car crash at age 24. “He probably wasn’t the most talented runner,” Whalen said, “but he was the toughest runner.”
Fantasy fanatic Whalen doesn’t play football in the traditional sense, but he’s seriously into the virtual variety. Whalen loves playing fantasy football, an online game in which participants draft a team of actual NFL athletes and compete in a variety of personalized leagues. (“People call me a nerd for it,” Whalen said.) If you ask Whalen about fantasy football, be prepared for an enthusiastic, thorough response. On the friends he competes against, Whalen said “They always talk trash and say they know more. I definitely know more than them.”
A day to remember Whalen saves ticket stubs from every sporting event he’s gone to. The most coveted stub is from Jan. 22: the day the Seattle Seahawks, his longtime favorite team, blasted the Carolina Panthers 34-14 in the NFC Championship Game at Qwest Field in Seattle. Whalen, who attended the game with his dad and brother, called the experience “the best day of my life.”
Mike Cane, Herald Writer
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