Sandia Prep鈥檚 Manzanares ready to launch into his senior basketball season
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — As a multi-sport athlete, rising Sandia Prep senior Mac Manzanares 鈥�22 could have lost out on not one sports season this school year but two, had the COVID-19 pandemic prevailed.
The school鈥檚 dedication to keeping student-athletes in action paid off, as Prep鈥檚 varsity boys basketball team made it to the state championship, only to lose by two points. Still, Manzanares was one of two Prep players recently voted to Class 3A鈥檚 all-state basketball first team. Earlier this spring, he competed in cross country.
鈥淧rep has done everything they could in the confusing times,鈥� Manzanares said. 鈥淚n January, we didn鈥檛 know if we were going to be able to play, and by the first week of May, we had completed multiple sports seasons. It was impressive to see how it was handled.鈥�
During the pandemic, Manzanares worked out by himself when he couldn鈥檛 practice with teammates. In his time at Prep, Manzanares also has competed in flag football and track. Balancing academics and athletics isn鈥檛 easy, he added, but Prep encourages students to pursue their passions.
鈥淚 try to do as much of my work as I can during school hours and before practice so I can commit my full time to sports after school,鈥� Manzanares says.
Manzanares hopes to play basketball in college, but knowing how competitive it is, he鈥檒l be just as happy with an academic scholarship.
Meanwhile, he鈥檚 ready to launch into his senior year in the fall and continue staying active.
鈥淢y favorite thing about Prep is the support I get from the staff and students,鈥� he explained. 鈥淭hey love to help out the sports teams, and I love the spirit that everyone has.鈥�
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