FEATURED SENIOR ATHLETE: Austen Branam, South Putnam

Austen is a senior at South Putnam and participates in one sport, basketball.

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Banner Graphic: How important are sports to you, and what have you learned from them?

Austen Branem: “Sports are the backbone of me growing up and meeting new people, being comfortable talking to people, helping me to lead people on the floor and in life in general.”

BG: Talk about basketball.

AB: “I’ve played since I was about basketball and it’s been my favorite sport forever. I’ve always been smaller than everybody, so learning to handle the ball and lead people have been two of the biggest things I’ve had to do as a point guard.”

BG: What’s the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you in sports?

AB: “Last year, against North Putnam at the end of the first half, we were on a fast break and I thought there was two or three seconds left, when there was six or seven seconds, so I went up early for a layup and completely missed it. It was not my brightest spot.”

BG: What does your game day routine look like?

AB: “I always get a good night’s rest before gameday. We dress up in suits during the day and before the game, I make sure to get stretched out well and get a lot of shots up.”

BG: The senior class has had four different coaches in four years, which makes consistency hard to come by. How would you say that you and your teammates have adapted to the constant turnover?

AB: “It’s definitely been tough and we’ve had a tougher experience than other classes have but it has also made us much more able to adapt to new styles of basketball. It also makes us more coachable knowing so many different things about basketball.”

BG: Do you have any favorite college/pro sports teams or athletes you follow?

AB: “I’ve always been an IU fan. My favorite NBA player to watch is Tyrese Haliburton. He’s just so fun to watch in how he plays the game.”

BG: What else do you do at school besides things involving sports?

AB: “I take AP classes, so balancing sports and those five classes has been a challenge.”

BG: What do you like to do outside of school and sports?

AB: “I love playing video games and playing pick-up ball with friends. I like hanging out with friends whenever I can.”

BG: What are your favorites in movies/books, TV and music?

AB: “My favorite movies are from the Marvel franchise, the most recent being ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.’ I’ve started watching ‘The Walking Dead’ and that’s my favorite show. I listen to rap and country a lot.”

BG: Are you a person that wants to watch TV shows and movies, stream something from YouTube, Twitch, TikTok etc. or something else (gaming, reading, etc.)?

AB: “I would check to hang out with friends but if not, I’d play video games or fall into the TikTok trap. If that all fails, I would watch a movie with family.”

BG: What is something you have never done before that you would like to do someday?

AB: “I’d like to travel the world. I’ve never traveled the world before and experiencing all the locations in the world would be worthwhile.”

BG: What is your biggest fear?

AB: “My fear is public speaking. I don’t think I’m a bad speaker but standing with a bunch of people staring at you is tough.”

BG: You’ve been placed in charge of making dinner. What’s on the menu?

AB: “If it was up to me, I’d go with a chicken sandwich and air fry some French fries.”

BG: Do you have any pets?

AB: “I have five dogs and a cat. I have a German shepherd named Ace, twin labs named Marley and Maverick, a mutt named Oscar and a little Yorkshire terrier named Zeus. The cat’s name is Lindley.”

BG: If your house were on fire, all living things were already out and you have your keys, cell phone, wallet/purse etc., what is one thing you would go back and get?

AB: “It would have to be my computer. I do everything on it including play games, homework, watching TV shows. It’s an all around good item to get.”

BG: If you were to describe your personality in one word, what would that word be and why?

AB: “Passionate. I’m not afraid to talk to anybody, I’m easy to talk to and show the love for the work I put into things I love.”

BG: What has been your favorite place to visit?

AB: “Mine is always going to Panama City. We go down there on spring break and it’s always good to spend time there with family. I’ve invited a friend or two down before and it’s good to just get away from things.”

BG: What was your favorite school field trip?

AB: “The Indians game. Going there, getting out of school and getting to hand out with friends is always fun.”

BG: How important is support from your family and classmates to your success?

AB: “It’s very important. Support from my family and friends gives me the confidence to go and do the things I need to do.”

BG: Describe your overall school experience both academically and athletically.

AB: “Our, as a class, school experience has definitely been different than a lot of others through COVID. We’ve had to adapt to a lot through e-learning and missing part of our season sophomore year. It’s definitely been a ride.”

BG: If your school was to offer a class it currently doesn’t, what would you want to see taught?

AB: “A class about European history. We don’t have a class that focuses on anything outside the US outside of AP World History and that class doesn’t focus on any one region.”

BG: What are your plans for after high school, and what career are you headed toward?

AB: “I plan to attend college and study computer science, focusing on data science.”

BG: Is it difficult to keep up with your school work being an athlete?

AB: “Taking AP classes has made it difficult to balance schoolwork and sports but it has been a fun challenge to undertake and a useful way to learn time management.”

BG: Which particular classes and teachers have helped you the most in high school?

AB: “My math classes with Mrs. Dixon and history classes with Mrs. Henry have helped drive me to learn time management, how to study and improved my learning in general.”

BG: In the future, once you’ve established yourself, if you had your choice, would you want to live somewhere more remote, such as in the mountains, somewhere more flashy, down on the beach or in the big city or in the neighborhood?

AB: “I’d pick a place more rural. As much as I talk about being able to talk to people, I still would like a space to have to my own.”

BG: Do you think high school has gone fast, and are you going to miss it?

AB: “I definitely think it has gone fast. I remember teaches, coaches and old seniors say it goes by fast and I agree with them all now that it does go by fast.”