D9Sports.com/EYT Media is doing a series of player profiles on returning high-school athletes this summer. The year in school listed by the athlete is the year the athlete is entering this fall.
(Photo by Tessa Boschert. Check out more of Boschert’s work here)
NICK FREDERICK – SENIOR – CLARION
Son of: Darren and Teresa Frederick
Sports Played: Basketball (He is thinking about running cross country)
Family Members Playing/Played Sports: His mom ran cross country and track and Dubois Central Catholic and went on to run in college at IUP. And his dad played high school football at Dubois. His uncle Matt wrestled at Dubois and went on to wrestle at Penn State.
2018-19 Highlights: Was named team MVP in basketball and was also all-tournament at the Punxsutawney Tournament … Averaged 13.0 ppg including three 20-point games with a career-high 23 points Jan. 14 vs. A-C Valley.
Post-High School Plans: He plans on going to college to become an engineer. He’s not sure where or what type of engineer he wants to be yet. He doesn’t plan on playing any sports because he wants to focus on academics.
Q&A With Nick Frederick
D9Sports: What is your favorite sport to participate in and why?
NF: My favorite sport is basketball because of the speed of the game. It’s intense and I love to play as a team and make good relationships with my teammates and coaches.
D9Sports: What is your favorite memory, moment, game from playing high school sports?
NF: When we played at the university against C-L my sophomore season and won. It was my first game back from a bad knee injury and it felt awesome to help my team win and move on in the D9 playoffs.
D9Sports: Why do you play high school sports?
NF: I play high school sports to stay involved and because I love the atmosphere. It keeps me active and in shape plus I’ve made a lot of friends from my school and others through high school sports.
D9Sports: Who has had the most influence on your athletic career and why?
NF: Tom Lewis. He’s an assistant basketball coach and he always pushes me to be better. I respect him because he doesn’t sugar coat anything. If you’re doing something wrong he will tell you and help you fix it. He also is a great role model for young high school guys like myself.
D9Sports: If you could change one thing about high school sports, what would it be and why?
NF: A shot clock in basketball. Maybe like a 30- or 35-second one just to keep the game moving and to not let teams stall. The game is much more fun when teams are running up and down instead of stalling on offense.
D9Sports: If you could be president for a day, what would be the one major thing you would do?
NF: If I was president for a day I would try to clean up the world. There are too much pollution and trash, I want a clean world for future generations. We can’t leave them with a mess.
D9Sports: What is your ideal place to live? County, City, Suburb? Why?
NF: My ideal place to live would be in the mountains in Colorado. I love being outdoors and being secluded from neighbors. Having a nice log cabin in the woods would be a dream.
D9Sports: What would someone who doesn’t know you be surprised to find out about you?
NF: Someone who doesn’t know me would be surprised to find out that I care about my grades a lot. I want to be successful in school and make a lot of money after college. Grades really are my main focus above any sports.
D9Sports: What is your strongest subject in school?
NF: My strongest subject is either math or physics.
D9Sports: If there was one period in history or one event in history you could go back to, what would it be?
NF: I would go back in time to the 60’s or 70’s just to grow up in a society that isn’t addicted to technology.
D9Sports: What question do you wish I would have asked you? And what is the answer to it?
NF: What teachers have had the biggest influence on you in school? And my answer would be Mr. Burford. He’s my physics teacher and is the advisor for science Olympiad and robotics. He’s a great teacher and really cares about his students’ success.
