What it Takes to be an Athlete at Melrose High School

A Q+A series looking at what it takes to be a star athlete at Melrose High 

Written by Ellis Iurilli-Hough, class of 2023

February 22, 2022

As a new season of sports starts in the winter, so many high school stars are gearing up for an exciting season. Most people think being an athlete is just showing up to practice and games, but is that really all it takes? To find out what really goes on in the life of a high school champion, I interviewed two top winter athletes from MHS to give me the rundown of what it takes to be successful. 

Jill Bakey, Junior at MHS, Long-distance Runner for the Track Team

Q: When did you start playing your sport?

A: I've been running with my dad since elementary school as a way to get out of the house. However, I did not start competitively running until I was in 7th grade.

Q: Top athletes need to put in more time than the official practices. How much time do you also practice/workout/run on your own each week? What does a typical week look like for you in terms of working out?

A: Around 12 hours a week! We have practice nearly every day. I have practice pretty much every day, but on the days we don't I go for a run on my own (usually for a little longer than I would normally run at practice). Sometimes I lift or do core, and I always make sure to stretch a little extra. If I need to get somewhere close by, I will walk or bike as a sort of recovery, and as something that is much more low-impact on my knees. But overall, I would say I only spend a few hours a week training outside of practice.

Q:What makes you want to be good at your sport and why? 

A: Definitely my own motivation. I have always been very competitive, and so I'm always pushing myself to improve. 

Q: What about other factors like eating well and getting enough sleep? Are these things important to you as a top athlete?

A:Yes, of course, especially before a meet. I usually get at least 9 hours of sleep, but it's not uncommon for me to get more, especially since sometimes I am asleep before 9 p.m. 

Q: What's a typical day of eating like for you before a race or game?

A: It really depends on if I have school that day or not. No matter what, I always eat a big breakfast, typically oatmeal and peanut butter with a banana. For lunch, my options are kind of limited if I'm at school but a sandwich and some kind of vegetable. And of course, I always drink a lot of water throughout the day.

Q: Do you want to play your sport in college? If so, are you already reaching out to college coaches?

A: I would love to, and I am definitely looking into it! I don't think I will ever fully give up running, but I haven't decided if I want to continue competitively in college. As for reaching out, some people who I know who run in college have sent me their coaches' information, but so far, I have not contacted anyone.

Q: What are your "essentials" when it comes to what helps you succeed every day? Things that may help you fuel, recover, or anything else you need. Why are these things important to your success in your sport?

A: Being well-rested and eating enough are very important to me, since it's hard to recover or train your hardest when you don't have enough fuel. Even though it's a bit cheesy, having a positive mindset is incredibly important in order for me to succeed. Running, specifically distance running, is a mental game, and just having a negative mindset can have an effect on my practice and performance. 

Q: Do you follow your sport outside of your team? Do you watch your sport on tv or keep up with the current news about it? If so, does any of this help with your own training?

A: A little bit! I always watch the track and field events during the Olympics, and I try to keep up to date with what race my favorite runners are competing in next. I don't know if it helps with my training, but it is entertaining!

Zach Federico, Senior at MHS, Varsity Basketball Team

Q: When did you start playing your sport?

A: I started playing basketball at about 6 years old.

Q: Top athletes need to put in more time than the official practices. How much time do you also practice/workout/run on your own each week? What does a typical week look like for you in terms of working out?

A: I would say we spend about roughly depending on how many games there are a week about 9-10 hours a week. In the off-season, training every day for about two hours is normal for me. Getting better every day has always been my goal even if it is just doing 10 push-ups. Doing something to get me better everyday is huge. 

Q:What makes you want to be good at your sport and why? 

A: Willing to outwork people. I was cut from the 6th and 7th grade basketball team and I never stopped working hard since. 

Q: What about other factors like eating well and getting enough sleep? Are these things important to you as a top athlete?

A: Getting enough sleep is essential. I didn’t really realize how important it was until an older age, but it really goes a long way. Having enough protein is always good and my mom always makes sure I have some sort of fruit or vegetable in every meal. I'd say I usually try to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. 

Q: What's a typical day of eating like for you before a race or game?

A: I usually find a way to eat about 3 hours before tip off. It’s usually some sort of pasta or sandwich. I follow it with snacks before, like bananas, bars or some sort of chip.

Q: Do you want to play your sport in college? If so, are you already reaching out to college coaches?

A: I am planning on playing college football, but I haven't ruled out playing college basketball yet. 

Q: What are your "essentials" when it comes to what helps you succeed everyday. Things that may help you fuel, recover, or anything else you need. Why are these things important to your success in your sport?

A: My “essentials” would definitely be water, gatorade mix, nutrigrain bars, and my massage gun.

Q: Do you follow your sport outside of your team? Do you watch your sport on tv or keep up with the current news about it? If so, does any of this help with your own training?

A:  I love to watch basketball. As frustrating as the Celtics have been, I try to catch every game on T.V. The college level is also very fun to watch. Watching these higher levels can help you learn different aspects of the game you didn’t know before.