Ian Morrison is the personification of “the grind.” As one of Oak Park High School’s varsity senior captains, Morrison doesn’t take time off.
“The best way to put it is that after I’ve finished at practice, and the locker room is clean, and the gate to the field is locked I can make my way home,” Morrison said. “Then there’s really only time to shower, eat and get started on whatever homework I have been assigned.”
As one of the team’s primary leaders, Morrison has had plenty of experience taking charge. He utilizes his time management skills and diligent habits to succeed.
“I think I have a great work ethic, especially when it comes to football,” Morrison said. “I’m really good at applying myself to things.”
Morrison began as the captain of a team that lost plenty of seniors and stepped up when the team needed him most.
“One lesson I take from football is that various different types of leadership have to be used to bring a team together,” Morrison said. “There is not one specific way to bring people together, and as a captain I have to recognize what works for different people.”
While Morrison is a captain, he’s also one of the best football players on the team. He plays multiple positions on the field to help out his team in any way he can.
“I play wide receiver and cornerback,” Morrison said. “With wide receivers, it’s pretty simple. However, with cornerback it’s much harder. I think it is one of the hardest positions on the field, you have to keep up with the receivers while running backwards, and track the ball at the same time.”
Playing two positions leaves an impact on both on the field and the body. Morrison has been subject to an intense physical regimen over his last couple of years, and has faced certain challenges as a result.
“The biggest challenge I’ve faced while on the team is when I broke my thumb before my junior year,” Morrison said. “It was challenging for me, because it was the first time that I had been held out for a significant amount of time. It was also very mentally challenging, because I would still go to practice everyday and help, but it killed me to not be able to practice with everyone else.”
Morrison recovered fully and proceeded to gain his captaincy. Through his journey, he’s made many memories, yet particularly stands out.
“My favorite moment with this team was on the field after we had beaten Buena and everyone was huddled together,” Morrison said. “It finally felt like the team had come together and had been able to play to the level that we had been working so hard for all year.”
After his time in high school, Morrison does not plan to pursue football. However, he still has big goals ahead.
“My dream school would be the University of Washington,” Morrison said. “I want to pursue a career in the military after college. UW has the best Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program in the country so that’s why it would be a great fit for me.”
