30
Youth
February 1 – 14, 2014
www.SanTanSun.com
CHANDLER’S BEST AND BRIGHTEST Once a month, we will profile standout students from SanTan Sun-area high schools. Whether they’re involved in academics, athletics or extracurricular activities, we want to hear their stories. To submit students for consideration, email the editor, Christina FuocoKarasinski at christina@santansun.com. BY SETH COX
Chandler Wolves Chandler High School 350 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler, 85225
Sometimes in high school athletics the student athlete is much more than meets the eye. In the case of Chandler High School boys basketball captain Kameron Casey, you may miss one of the most intelligent kids in the entire high school. “Coming out of junior year I was ranked third,” Kameron says, “but there was a hold up with grades, so I am not sure where I am right now.” No matter where he ends up in the class rankings, the reality is it’s impressive. A three-year varsity member, Kameron has grown both in stature— he’s 6-feet 7-inches tall now—and as a leader. “Moving on from the basketball stuff, Kameron is just as solid as a kid as you can want,” says Coach Mark Nold. “Very, very coachable, comes to practice wanting to learn every day, he’s the best leader on our team for sure, and what he gets done in the classroom is amazing. “On top of the basketball stuff, he’s got four to five hours of homework for the class load he’s taking, his dream
school is Stanford and where he wants to go for engineering.” Kameron says he has yet to hear from Stanford. “I applied to nine other colleges and have been accepted to Barrett Honors College at ASU,” he says. “I’m not going to hear from the other nine schools until the end of March, early April.” What’s life like for a student athlete who’s carrying a heavy college prep workload and starting at center, averaging 8.1 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game? “Well,” Kameron says with a pause, “You don’t get as much sleep or free time as you would want to. I don’t get to hang out with my friends as much as I want to, but I prioritize and make sure I get all my classwork done, and getting all my athletic work in. Then, if I have extra time after that, I can use it for my leisure, but I always make sure to prioritize.” Priorities don’t just extend to off the court, as Nold says, “Kameron is not the most vocal guy. I think he’s got a lot of shy tendencies about him, but he knows when to say the right thing. He leads by
example with his work ethic and he’s great for our locker room.” When asked about it, Kameron adds, “I always try to help the team in any way, even if it sacrifices my individual stats, and try to push the selfless mentality to make a better team overall.” Kameron has prioritized the team, and their goals as his own, knowing that the legacy he leaves can be more than just about numbers on the court. When your aspirations are to go to a school like Stanford and be an engineer, you always seem to be looking at the bigger picture and waiting for the next challenge. Casey has no problem with that challenge, as he said, “My college prep calculus class is my favorite class this year because it’s the one that challenges my mind, but my favorite class was my junior year and college prep chemistry because the teacher was so good and it was an amazing subject to me.” Stanford better keep an eye out, because Kameron Casey is on his way.
SEE CHANDLER’S BEST AND BRIGHEST PAGE 32