FEATURED SENIOR ATHLETE: Justin Evans, Greencastle

Justin is a senior at Greencastle and participates in three sports, tennis, swimming and track.

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

Justin Evans: “Sports have been a big part of my life. I’ve learned a lot of leadership skills this year being team captain.”

BG: Talk about you sports.

JE: “I’ve done tennis for three years after doing cross country as a freshman. I’ve swam for four years and like to do track to keep in shape and conditioned.”

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

JE: “Freshman year, I completely missed a bunch of flip turns off the wall early in the year.”

BG: What does your game day routine look like?

JE: “I walk over from school, get ready by doing our breathing harmonics and warmup, then get something quick to eat and get ready for the meet.”

BG: The last few years numbers have been dipping a bit and many swimmers are coming in as first-year guys. What have you imparted to those guys to keep their spirits up and keep getting after it?

JE: “I’ve told them the first year is usually the hardest and things get easier as you go along after that. After my first year, I considered quitting but decided to do it again and my second year, it wasn’t as bad the year before and has gotten better since then.”

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

JE: “I like to watch Purdue basketball.”

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

JE: “I go to Area 30, 4-H and recently got my Eagle Scout badge.”

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

JE: “I like to play video games and do stuff with my brother.”

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

JE: “I like to watch movies, watching something three times in a day and still being intrigued. I’m not someone that turns down watching a movie if someone else has missed it and have been watching the ‘Star Wars’ movies lately.”

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.)?

JE: “Coach would probably have us practice if a meet was canceled but after that I would probably play Xbox or watch a movie.”

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

JE: “I want to be able to ride four-wheelers and is something I’d like to do.”

BG: What is your biggest fear?

JE: “Definitely heights.”

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

JE: “I’d make eggs, bacon, some other breakfast stuff or hot dogs, smores or some other sweets.”

BG: Do you have any pets?

JE: “I have a dog, Copper, two cats, Tony and Curry, four goats and a rabbit.”

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?

JE: “Realistically I would stay outside but if I were fireproof for a time, I’d go in and grab family photos and pictures.”

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

JE: “Quiet. I don’t talk much to people.”

BG: What has been your favorite place to visit?

JE: “We went to Hershey, Pa. I love chocolate, so that was basically paradise for me.”

BG: What was your favorite school field trip?

JE: “In fifth grade, we went to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We got to see the track and were close while watching the cars go by.”

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

JE: “It’s been really important for me. Everyone has been very supportive of me and that’s meant a lot.”

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

JE: “I’ve never been the kid that likes to sit in a classroom so before this year, I went to summer school and got both government and econ done and out of the way. This year, I’ve been able to do Area 30 all day, doing the wiring program in the morning and welding in the afternoon. I come back for English and am only in the school for 50 minutes a day.”

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

JE: “I feel an FFA-type class would be fun to have.”

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

JE: “I plan to be a welder out of high school and am hoping to work at a place like Crown.”

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

JE: “Before this year, it was a little harder, but this year, being at Area 30 all day, I did my second homework assignment of the year this week.”

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

JE: “Mr. Hankee is always positive in what he does.”

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 or the countryside, somewhere more flashy like down on the beach or in the big city or in the neighborhood?

JE: “I’d like to live in a wooded area or a farm area, a large plot of land away from everybody so I won’t be bothering them if, say, I were to have some fireworks out at 1 a.m. in the morning or something like that.”

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

JE: “With COVID, the first two years felt slow. Recently, it’s felt like it’s been flying by. I’m going to miss sports and my friends, stuff like that.”