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02/08/2017 11:00 PMShane Henderson has collected several big-time accolades through the first half of his career with the Old Saybrook boys’ cross country team. Only a sophomore, Shane made the First Team for both All-Conference and All-State with his performances at the Shoreline and Class S State championships last fall. After that, Shane competed at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional meet at historic Van Courtlandt Park in the Bronx, placing first among all freshmen and sophomores in the 5K.
Shane’s success was even more impressive considering he was sick during the home stretch of the fall season. Cross country Head Peter Capezzone credits Shane for running well while toughing it out at the conference and state championships, where Shane recorded times of 17:16 and 17:09, respectively, en route to finishing fourth at both meets. When he was able to compete at full strength in the regional meet, Shane turned in an even better time of 16:50.6, making Capezzone proud.
“[Shane’s] goal was to win at the State Championship meet, but when he got sick at the end of the season, it brought him down a little bit. For him to come back from that and win the Foot Locker Regional, this kid is outstanding. He’s one of the most deserving kids I’ve ever coached,” says Capezzone.
Shane attributes some of his cross country success to running road races with his family as a youngster. By the time he reached middle school, it was apparent that Shane had a talent for running. Even though it comes naturally to him, Shane says it’s taken a lot of hard work for him to hit his stride.
“You can be as good as you want to be. If you put in the work, you can be great,” Shane says. “It takes talent, but you have to put work in, too.”
Shane’s work ethic pays off in neck-and-neck races like the one in the Bronx, where his triumphant time was less than a second better than the runner-up. While Shane enjoys the competitive nature of a tight race, his mindset remains the same from meet to meet.
“A close race is always exciting,” says Shane, whose top time of the season was a 16:20.6. “When you run with someone near you, you run faster. When you’re up by a bit, you have to stick to your race plan, and try not to look back. Obviously, you want to go for the win either way, so you just try to give your best.”
Even though cross country is Shane’s biggest passion, he also plays basketball for the Rams and then closes out the school year with the outdoor track squad. Shane likes how track offers something a little different than cross country.
“I like trails better, but it’s good to get on a track for a comparison with other racers since there aren’t as many variables,” Shane says.
Right now, Shane is in the midst of his season as a starting guard with Old Saybrook’s boys’ basketball squad, which also features his brother Connel, a senior. The Rams own a record of 9-5 and recently qualified for the State Tournament by defeating North Branford on Feb. 1. First-year Head Coach Patrick Quinn loves the approach that Shane brings to the team.
“He’s a great kid on and off the court. Ultra competitive in practice and in games. He never takes a play off,” Quinn says. “I’ll match him and his brother up at practice because they’re the most competitive guys on the court, and I think that continues when they get home.”
Although there’s a big difference between long-distance cross country running and the quick sprinting of basketball, Coach Quinn says that Shane makes a smooth transition between the two sports.
“Shane’s incredibly athletic, really quick off the first step,” says Quinn. “He could play a whole game running up and down the court and, afterward, look like he’s ready for another.”
Shane feels that playing basketball helps him maintain a team-first mentality for both cross country and track.
“In basketball, there’s five guys and one ball. You are dependent on your teammate to do his job so you can do yours,” he says. “In cross country and track, it has to be a team effort, too. Everyone has to do their job.”
In terms of Shane’s future on the cross country circuit, Coach Capezzone believe there’s no limit to what Shane and the Rams can achieve through the next two seasons.
“He has an unbelievable work ethic,” says Capezzone. “He’s coachable, a likable kid, and the kind of guy you want around the team because they’ll emulate his good habits. He’s a huge reason to our improvement as a team and not just because of his individual performance.”