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FEATURED ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Alex Costin, Greencastle
Alex Costin is a senior at Greencastle and participates in football and baseball. He played basketball for two years.
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Banner Graphic: How important are sports to you, and what have you learned from them?
AC: “Sports have been important to me since I was young, and they have taught me how to evolve as a person and figure things out for the long run. I’ve grown up with it, and they have shown me the importance of following through with something you love.”
BG: Your older brother [Nick, now a football player at Wabash] also played a lot of sports. Did you look up to him for inspiration?
AC: “I looked up to him a lot and wanted to be like him. He taught me how to compete.”
BG: Your careers in football and baseball have gone really well. Talk about both of those.
AC: “I started football in sixth grade, and when I got to high school I didn’t know where I was going to be. I got to start at cornerback as a freshman, and coach [Mike] Meyer gave me the opportunity for the rest of my career. We did well in the county, and we did well in the sectional but we always lost to Danville. We got farther each of the past three years.”
BG: Football seems to have a special place at Greencastle, with the purple lights on the “victory tree” and everything that goes into it.
AC: “It’s definitely special here, and it’s like a brotherhood. Football is a different sport, and you have to have each other’s back. With football being the way it is here, that’s our key to success.”
BG: After Nick graduated two years ago, you took over at quarterback for your junior year. Coach Meyer made a switch early in the season, but you seemed to handle that pretty well. Was that a tough thing to adjust to?
AC: “I knew that it was coach’s decision, and he was doing what was best for the team. I just adapted to being the best cornerback and wide receiver I could be and do what I could.”
BG: Since you had played quarterback before, did that help you a lot when you went to receiver?
AC: “Definitely. I had been on both sides and gotten the quarterback view and the receiver view, and what to do on my routes.”
BG: You got a lot of interceptions. What is the key to doing that?
AC: “Reading the quarterback’s eyes and keeping with your guy. A lot of the quarterbacks we play look right at the person they’re throwing it to, and that helped me a lot. You just have to have that mindset.”
BG: Baseball has also made some big strides, with two straight county championships. What has that progress been like?
AC: “Coach [Ben] Wells has done a great job with that, in how he has developed the team and how we handle things. It’s still a building process, but we are definitely getting better.”
BG: What’s the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you in sports?
AC: “It’s embarrassing to think that I let my attitude take over at times, and made a fool of myself in public. I got a lot of personal fouls this year.”
BG: Do you have any superstitions or rituals you follow in sports?
AC: “Before every game, I pray during the national anthem. I always do it, and I feel weird if I don’t.”
BG: What do you like to do outside of school and sports?
AC: “Through Area 30, I work for Joe Custis Excavating. More just as a labor hand. We just build a house at DePauw. I love to be outside, and I like to race four-wheelers. Most everybody has the same machine, but since I’m an athlete I’m ahead of a lot of the other drivers. Most people who race don’t do anything to get in shape. You have to have good muscle endurance, and how to ride your machine. I also like to hunt and fish.”
BG: What are your favorites in movies, TV and music?
AC: “I just got done watching a show on Netflix called ‘All-American’ and it was really good. I am not a big movies guy, but I listen to country music a lot. I like Thomas Rhett. Before games, I listen to rap or whatever.”
BG: What is something you have never done before that you would like to do someday?
AC: “Go skydiving. I have always wanted to do that. When you’re watching a video of someone doing it, the adrenaline rush really gets to you.”
BG: What is your biggest fear?
AC: “Snakes. I have them. I have never been bitten by one. I’ve never really been that close to them; I’d rather run up a tree than get bitten by a snake.”
BG: What are your favorite and least favorite foods?
AC: “My favorite is barbecue potato chips, and my least favorite is broccoli.”
BG: Do you have any pets?
AC: “We have a one-year-old beagle named Case. He’s not a hunting dog, but he’s very hyper.”
BG: If you were to describe your personality in one word, what would that word be and why?
AC: “Humorous. I like to have fun and keep from being in a negative environment.”
BG: What has been your favorite place to visit?
AC: “Cozumel, Mexico. I went on a cruise there and it was really nice. It was interesting to see how they navigate. It’s kind of like New York City, but there are people flying everywhere. Being able to learn ab out poverty and what’s happening down there was interesting.”
BG: How important is support from your family and classmates to your success?
AC: “My parents and grandparents are at everything I do. They never fail to miss. The support helps because I know they always have my back for everything. After every game, my dad tells me what I did wrong and how to fix it. My dad played baseball and basketball, and had a chance to go to the Phillies’ organization but didn’t go.”
BG: Describe your overall school experience, both academically and athletically.
AC: “I haven’t had any reason not to like it. Going to school has made me like the atmosphere of the city more. Most people say they can’t wait to leave, but I like it here. I wouldn’t mind staying here for the rest of my life. Going to school here academically is better than other county schools. It has prepared me well for the future.”
BG: What are your plans for after high school, and what career are you headed toward?
AC: “I am going to lineman school in Tennessee to finish up there and start my apprenticeship as a lineman. I know Cade Winslow is doing that right now. It’s a high demand job, and it pays well.”
BG: Is it difficult to keep up with your school work being an athlete?
AC: “I only have three classes this year, so I can always get my work done during school. Last year, I would go home afterwards and finish up. When I played basketball, we had study tables and they made it a lot better.”
BG: Which particular classes and teachers have helped you the most in high school?
AC: “Coach Meyer has helped me with everything, from schoolwork to life advice to football advice. He’s my favorite. Mr. [Donovan] Wheeler has also been really good for me in English.”
BG: Had you thought about going to play sports in college?
AC: “I thought about it for a little bit, but I knew that school isn’t my thing. I don’t mind going to school, but I didn’t want to go to college and major in something that I don’t know if I want to do or not. I’m a hands-on guy and love being outside, and that’s a perfect fit.”
BG: Do you think high school has gone fast, and are you going to miss it?
AC: “It’s definitely gone fast, and I will miss it. If I could, I would go back to my freshman year and do football all over again. Football has changed my life, and not being able to do it at the next level is upsetting. But I have to do what’s best for my life.”