John Collins, class of 2023, is March’s athlete of the month. When trying to decide who should be for this month’s athlete, we at The Eagle decided to ask Mr. Carty, the head coach of varsity rugby, if he had a suggestion for this award. Immediately, he decided John would be the perfect fit for this, as he is involved in numerous things throughout the school while being an integral part of the rugby team.

Even before the season started, BCHigh was a part of the Northeast Jesuit tournament. Here, they placed second among five incredibly competitive teams. John has proven himself to be an integral part of this team, as he was named a captain this year and helped bring the team to the state championship last year. He is also a player on the football team, showing his diverse athletic skill set. 

Not only an incredible athlete and leader on the field, John shows his leadership through Day house, where he is a vice captain. In this position, he mentors underclassmen, plans house meetings, and helps lead the school. One thing Collins emphasized was leading by example, “I always try to lead by example wherever I go. Whether in football or rugby, I hope that I leave a positive impact on my peers,” he explained.

One important part of being a leader is taking advice and help wherever you can get it. When asked how he balances school and varsity-level sports, he emphasized the importance of using school resources: “Resources such as tutoring, the writing center, and the academic resource center are all phenomenal places where you can find help.” He advises those struggling to balance academics and athletics. John also emphasizes asking for help from coaches. He commends BC High’s skill in hiring phenomenal and incredibly helpful coaches that are truly there for the students health and success. He touched on the impact that coaches have on the athlete, saying, “Without guidance and proper coaching, success is unattainable.” 

All in all, John Collins shows himself to be an incredibly intelligent and talented athlete, a great leader in many works of his life, and an impressive role model for others, showing just how deserving he is to be Athlete of the Month.