SHELTON -- Ethan Shuster won not just the state honor of “athlete of the year”, but also the regional award for New England and the national award as well.
Ethan graduated from Shelton High School last spring, and was nominated by his athletic director his senior year for the National Interscholastic Athletic Administration’s 2017 Athlete of the year Award.
“He had an excellent essay, stellar athletic career--3 sport athlete-- and great leadership skills, I worked with him as a captain. And his academic record is excellent,” said John Niski, Shelton HS athletic director.
Niski believes it was the essay Ethan wrote that clinched the national award.
“The main focus was how as an athletic community we came together to overcome a student`s death at Shelton High. We came together supported one another, and relied on each other for support and overcame such a great challenge,” explains Ethan.
Ethan credits his teachers, teammates and Mr. Niski for what he's been able to accomplish, but said most of the credit has to go to his supportive family and their commitment to the community.
The national award is given to just 2 student athletes in the country: one male and one female.
“This was our kid our student that won the scholarship. He did a great job reading his essay in front of everyone, I mean probably 2,000 athletic directors from across the country were there. He is very diligent in his athletic training and his school work and he's gonna just keep right on, he's gonna be a superstar,” said Niski.
Ethan is now half way through his freshman year at UConn. He's not playing any sports right now. He's on a pre-med track and wants to focus on his studies and his future and being able to help better people lives.