Meet the Athlete: Isaiah McGaffey

Published 8:29 pm Friday, September 15, 2023

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Q: What grade are you in?
A: 12th grade

Q: What town do you live in, and which school do you attend?
A: Albert Lea, Albert Lea High School

Q: Who is your immediate family?
A: Mom, Kelly; Dad, Joshua; two brothers, Noah and Timothy; one sister, Gabrielle

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Q: Which sports do you play?
A: Cross country, basketball and track and field.

Q: What is your favorite part of playing your sport?
A: My favorite part of running cross country is running with my teammates and using each other to push ourselves to help the team improve. I also love when its the final 100 meters of a race and I go in an all-out sprint and I start passing people left and right.

Q: What has playing that sport taught you?
A: Cross country has taught me to be patient as a runner. Its not instant gratification It takes months and years to develop a distance runner. There are no shortcuts.

Q: What’s your favorite sports memory?
A: My favorite sports memory is when we were running in Faribault and we had just got the meet results and found out we were going to state, and all of my teammates and friends were jumping up and down. And I’ve never seen my coach so happy— it looked like he was gonna have a heart attack.

Q: How did you get started in your sport?
A: I first got started with cross country when it was my freshman year. Football had been canceled due to COVID-19 and I was looking for a sport to stay active in. Little did i know that cross country would be where my running career would begin.

Q: What sports did your family members play?
A: My dad was in football, basketball and track. My brother Noah is in cross country, basketball and track. My brother Timothy is in football and track. My sister is in volleyball and trap shooting.

Q: What are your sports-related achievements?
A: Ive been a Big 9 All Conference. I’m a section champ for the 4×800 in track. And our team has been to state two times.

Q: What are your sports-related goals?
A: I’m hoping to break into the 16 minutes for a race and possibly get a 16:30.

Q: What are your college plans? Major?
A: I’m looking to go into a two-year college for electrician.

Q: Who is your favorite professional athlete? Why?
A: Kirk Cousins. I look up to him because he is a great role model and a strong Christian and leads people in the right directions and shows what determination he has when facing struggles.

Q: What are your college plans? Major?
A: I’m looking to go into a two-year college for electrician.

Q: What is your favorite school subject?
A: My favorite subject is Phy-Ed. I love being active.

Q: Who is your favorite teacher?
A: My favorite teacher is Jim Haney and Kevin Gentz.

Q: What are your hobbies?
A: My favorite hobbies are going on long runs, playing basketball at the park, going on bike rides, kayaking and playing video games with friends.

Q: What is your dream job?
A: my dream job would be a professional sports player of any kind.

Q: What is your favorite TV show?
A: My favorite TV show is “The Flash.”

Q: What is an interesting fact about you?
A: One interesting fact about me is I love to help people who are in need, if I see someone struggling with something, I’m not afraid to help them by either talking to them or making people laugh. I enjoy seeing the result of helping others.