Meghan Quigley
Northside College Prep, Swimming
Jahlil Okafor
Whitney Young, Basketball BY MCKINLEY NELSON, SOPHOMORE, WHITNEY YOUNG HIGH SCHOOL
Known by many as the “Gentle Giant,” 7-foot-tall Jahlil Okafor of Whitney
Young might be one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. The accolade of being a great, approachable, nice guy is very rare to hear about an overall number one ranked basketball player. Okafor prides himself on being a great person on and off of the court. He says his goal as a man is to “Never change either success or failure,” but of course he’s not trying to go down the failure route. Okafor is in the gym all day every day. His goal in five years is to get to the NBA like most basketball players, but he takes this goal seriously and takes the steps to accomplish the goal. His work ethic comes from the devastating loss of his mother at a young age. “I do it all for her,” he said. “I spend all of the long hours in the gym just to make her proud. But if I do get there, I’m not trying to be an average player; I want to be considered one of the best. I know it’s a long shot, and I know I have a long way to go, but I’m willing to put in the work to get to that level.” Okafor is on the right path to success. The past two summers, he has been a part of the USA Junior Olympic gold medal teams and in the summer of 2012, he received their MVP award. He had an opportunity to travel the world and play and develop friendships with some of the best talent in the country. This year, Okafor led the Whitney Young Dolphins to a City Championship and to the State Sectional Finals. The Chicago Sun-Times selected Okafor as the Player of the Year and he received an overall number one ranking in the state of Illinois for his class. He received positive press around the country. This summer Okafor is playing with the powerhouse program Mac Irvin Fire where he will play his last AAU season with hopes to win the EYBL Peach Jam.
BY YUWEI LEI, FRESHMAN, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
Meghan Quigley, a swimmer at Northside College Prep, has a daily schedule
different from the average teen. Rising out of bed at 5 am, she heads to the pool for the two-hour morning practice. After the practice, she heads to class, and when the school day ends, she goes back to the pool for three more hours of rigorous training. And her commitment doesn’t stop here – almost all of her weekends and many evenings during the week are occupied by swim meets. She also trains year-round in order to stay in shape. While most people would find her schedule extremely demanding, Quigley has managed it, day-by-day, for the entire four years of her high school education. Quigley first started competitive swimming at the age of 6 following the steps of her older sister. Upon entering high school, she began juggling a rigorous schedule of honors and AP classes, with swim practice twice a day for two to three hours. She points out that there are upsides to her demanding training schedule, such as the opportunity to bond with her teammates. “Being involved in such a committed sport as swimming, where there are double practices almost every day, it is virtually impossible to not form a bond with your team,” she says. Outside of swimming, Quigley occupies herself with school, family, friends, and her job. “All of those are essential factors in my life,” she notes, “and they are things to focus on when I don’t have swimming, or my other sports. I plan to swim in college and my grades are what allow me to have that opportunity. My family and friends help to temporarily remove the stress of school and swimming, and they are crucial because they provide me the support I need in order to achieve my goals. My job is important to me because it helps me stay disciplined throughout the entire year.” When asked what advice she would give to younger athletes, she says: “I would tell younger athletes to keep doing the sport they most enjoy because nothing is more vital than being active daily. It improves mental health, especially for student- athletes who are able to have a separate focus from school that’s equally important. Younger athletes should recognize that there are always other activities to participate in and join, and they shouldn’t limit themselves to one thing.” TRUE STAR MAGAZINE 11