Being a student athlete is a role that requires much more than determination, hard work, and dedication. You must have the mental and physical ability to stay committed no matter how heavy the workload becomes, which very few are capable of. Warren Township High School senior, Zach Zorzy, has been a multi-sport athlete throughout his high school career and has maintained his multiple roles of being a student, teammate, and employee.

While playing both golf in the fall and lacrosse year round, Zach has navigated the challenge of learning about time management. He mentioned that this busy schedule throughout high school has taught him a lot. “For me, I learned over the course of four years now that using your free time wisely is the best way to manage your time. No matter what team you play on whether it be varsity or not, you will have many hours during the day where it would be perfect to use that time wisely, such as hanging out with friends, doing homework, studying, etc. You always have time to do anything while on sports teams. It’s just up to you what you do with that time.” Outside of school and sports, Zach has utilized his free time working summers as a pool attendant as well as an assistant on Bittersweet golf course.

One misconception of being actively involved in so many sports and extracurricular activities is that you have the potential to limit yourself in many social aspects of high school. When Zach was presented with that question, he reconstructed my overall understanding of the social impact: “I have in fact not missed out on any social aspects of school because of these teams I play on. In fact, participating in these teams or clubs is the most social  thing you could do in high school. I have made friends with teammates, developed relationships with coaches and teachers, and support from fans of these sporting matches makes me feel very involved with the school and the people in it.”

Zach met one of his closest friends to this day from playing Golf, WTHS senior Parker Martin. Parker has known Zach since his freshman year in golf and recognized his development on and off the course: “Everyday he always wanted to go out and play, even when he didn’t get selected for a match or tournament he always wanted to practice to get better.” One of Zach’s lacrosse teammates since freshman year, Aiden Wessburg, spoke on his accomplishments: “He is a very motivated individual who I have seen grow as a person whether it comes to sports or school these last four years. His capabilities are limitless.”

Zach’s determination to improve at everything he does is recognized by those who spend their time around him. These athletes share the common goal of pushing each other towards working harder and developing their personal skills.

According to a survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations, only about 18.2% of high school students participate in multiple sports. This is a result of the heavy workload that comes along with sports that many students aren’t capable of, including workouts, practices, games, training, and even tournaments. Lacrosse itself is one of the fastest growing sports in the nation within recent years.

Although Zach has thrived off his success within the sports, including several offers from universities across the region to play lacrosse, he does not intend to play beyond high school. His multiple college visits to schools such as Missouri and Alabama were related to his pursuit of a finance degree. Overall, Zach Zorzy has had one of the most unique and involved high school experiences of anyone that I know. When asked if his freshman year self would be proud of where he is today, he states, “I do think my freshman self would look at my senior self and be proud of how much I have grown throughout high school, whether it be through the skills at lacrosse or golf or just teamwork in general.” Growth and experience are the two most important things heading into adulthood, and Zach Zorzy has put himself in a position within recent years to develop both.