Athlete Spotlight: Shawn Minor

Few Athletes can compare what they do to the likes of great athletes such as Percy Harvin (Landstown 06’), but Shawn Minor surely can. Last week, Shawn Minor out of Powhatan High School in the AA Southside district opened his senior track season on a “High” note with a clearance of 6’10” in the high jump at a home tri meet. Shawn is currently becoming a not only a star high jumper but a star athlete on the Gridiron and Hardwood too. Minor is a three-sport athlete, something few can find here in Virginia. As time goes on, it seems that there are less student athletes out there excelling in three different sports today, due most likely to a growing fear of injury and special ability and size needed for certain sports. Playing as a starting guard and cornerback, he is not only showing his ability to jump and run, which he has definitively proven, but also his raw knack to compete and win in all endeavors he pursues. He currently holds both the high jump record (6’10”) and the 100m dash record (10.7) at Powhatan high school.

 

               Shawn started his career in track and field in middle school just as many others did, and from the start he had goals set for himself to achieve and to beat. Shawn’s older brother Kevin was also a standout athlete who went to Powhatan high school and was a past Powhatan record holder. His older brother set the Powhatan school record in high jump at 6’ 5” a record which Shawn had his sights on from an early day. Shawn has said all he has done in his career has been to compete and better what his older brother has done, which he did to start his high school career by besting his brother in high jump… as a freshman!

 

             The dynamics of a “true-team” sport and a sport like track and field can be somewhat difficult for some and easy for others, due partly to that it involves a different style of motivation and everyone “buying in”.  Shawn has shown a great ability not only to transition into, but to incorporate what he has learned from “true-team” sports into an individual sport like track and field. He spoke about how he plays the role of a leader not only verbally but how he trains and pushes himself to better not only school records but more importantly personal records. He spoke of a message he likes to construct for his teammates- “You can only be as good as you say you are.” Very wise words on how to improve not only physically but mentally too, a very important aspect for an athlete. He not only shows his younger teammates how to better themselves in their events but he says that he and other leaders make practice and meets more team oriented which he believes to help everyone motivate each other and better each other to excel and succeed.

 

              Finishing last year as the runner-up in the AA State Track Meet, Shawn has shown a level of commitment to improve on his performance of a 6’9” runner-up jump last championship season. He started this season with already improving that jump by opening his season with jumping 6’ 10” at a tri meet. He may have already gotten closer to his goal of 7’0” in high jump this past week but another one of his main goals eludes him as he seeks out a ring in one of his three varsity sports, a feat he is still climbing towards.

 

              Being a senior, he has many choices on what to do and which sport to pursue in college, an option in which few can brag they have. These opening of doors and many choices is not due only to his success in track but in anything he challenges himself to do. Currently, his first choice as to what to pursue in college is playing basketball and has spoken with a few teams on that matter. More importantly, he is chasing a State Championship, which he is gearing up for with his bigger meets quickly approaching in May and June being the Regional and State Championships. He continues to practice and train to achieve those successes. His attitude and “want” is exemplified by what he says-“ Each time I reach a new height it only means I want to jump higher and do better.”

 

          The end of last year may have ended on a sore note for Shawn since he was somewhat upset about loosing to someone younger than him, something no one would be terribly happy about. He said it was something he did not enjoy being that he is used to beating older kids and now getting beat in States by someone younger, definitely is not something to be happy over. This and his current clearance shows that he is motivated and bettering his own personal bests to reach the highest he can, not only in high jump, but in all three sports. His work and demeanor are proof that he is pushing himself, which is paramount to his success, and that he has a grasp on what he wants to do and how is he going to do it. His early successes from the get go in high school and early success this season is a common theme in his career, him doing good and then him doing better. Now just as ever, he is moving his personal records in the right direction, as he has done throughout his career, up. Through his current efforts, he should achieve these goals and rightfully feel accomplished and proud. Simply put Shawn is not only a great high jumper but a great athlete, leader, and more importantly, competitor.