We have had the opportunity to chat with many outstanding student-athletes over the past 10 months with many of them playing and succeeding at multiple sports. Will Geary from Valley Park is no different as he stands out for the Hawks on the soccer field, the basketball court, and the diamond.
This fall has been terrific for the sophomore as he is third in the area in goals with 36 as he aided the Hawks to a 15-7 record and the No. 4 seed in the MSHSAA Class 1 District tournament this week at Bishop DuBourg High School. He has also added nine assists on the year so far for a team-high 81 points. As a freshman on the basketball team this past winter, Geary averaged nearly 23 points a game and grabbed over 10 boards per contest. On the diamond in the spring, Geary helped Valley Park to the state semifinals with a .468 batting average while driving in 26 runs.
It has been an outstanding season for the Hawks on the soccer pitch and Geary has been a major part of the offense. One of the things that he does so well is finding the right spot to be in on the attack.
Photo courtesy of Valley Park High School
“My teammates have set me up great this year,” stated Geary. “My teammates help me with everything, and we all work very hard in practice for it.”
Being a three-sport athlete takes a special person that commits to being good at his craft. Geary is no exception as he worked hard with his team over the summer and during the preseason to be successful this fall.
“I used the summer workouts to help get me stronger and faster,” said Geary. “I worked on all three sports at all times this summer and it really helped all of us get better as a team.”
Geary knows as a sophomore that he needs to rely on the other guys on the team, especially in leadership roles, but he knows that there are quite a few that look to him for that leadership on the pitch.
“We are all close off the field and I think that it definitely shows on the field,” stated Geary. “We all pass the ball around to each other on the field and then we are also bonding off the field, so that has helped a lot for us to be successful.”
Being active in sports all year round means that your family cheers for you and are your main support system. Geary is quick to acknowledge that his family is always there for him.
“My dad has helped me through everything athletically, especially with the mental and physical parts,” said Geary. “My mom has also been there to help me prepare for everything. My sister played three sports in high school as well and now plays softball at the college level, so she pushes me to be the best that I could be so that I can get to that level. My younger brother is almost my height now and the way we push each other has made both of us better.”
The one thing that people do not understand is the physical toll that playing three sports takes on a body.
“I think that taking rests when you need them is very important,” said Geary. “Just getting out there with the guys on my team is fun. But balancing everything is tough, but it is all fun at the end of the day with all the guys.”
Geary is an excellent student in the classroom and knows how important it is to juggle both academics and athletics to be successful at the next level.
“I just go to practice and work hard,” stated Geary. “Then I get home and get my homework done, eat some dinner, shower, and go to bed. Then, do the same thing the next day.”
Out of the three sports that Geary plays, he has a favorite and there was no hesitation in the one that he loves the most to play.
“I enjoy baseball the most because I started playing when I was younger before I played basketball and soccer,” said Geary. “I just grew up around it with my dad playing in college and then growing up, we would play wiffle ball in the backyard as a family. I just kept growing to love the game over the years and it is getting better.”
Geary and the Hawks won their district soccer quarterfinal last night over Hancock 8-0 and will play Bishop DuBourg in the semifinals Thursday at 4 p.m.
Congratulations to Will Geary from Valley Park on being named our HSSC/Scoops with Danny Mac Student-Athlete of the Week and we wish him the best of luck in all of his sports this year.
Jim Powers has been covering prep sports in the St. Louis area for 15+ years and a part of the Missouri State High School Activities Association Championship Broadcasts for the past 11 years. Powers is also a part of the Fox 2 Verlo Mattress Prep Zone Friday nights at 10:10 during the football and basketball seasons. If you have a prep sports story, please contact Jim at japowers2421@yahoo.com. Follow Jim at @hssportscaravan
