Athlete of the Week: Matt McMillan
Matt McMillan will be back in Shippensburg this week for the second straight season to compete in the PIAA track and field championships.
Coming back from a leg injury, senior Matt McMillan took first as a member of the 4×400 relay, second in the 300 Hurdles, and third in the 110 Hurdles at Districts last week. He qualified for the PIAA championships in all three events.
“Districts was the first meet he ran since April 11, and to qualify in all three of his events is pretty tough to do,” said Coach Nick Lovrich.
For his efforts McMillan is the BluePrint’s Athlete of the Week.
BluePrint: How hard was it to come back from injury with no competitive preparation and compete at Districts?
McMillan: I tried not to think about it. Before every race on Tuesday, I just told myself that this could be the last time I ever run this event so I better go as hard as I could. It happened to be enough at the time.
BluePrint: How tough was it to deal with your injury during the season and not be able to compete?
McMillan: Districts was a month away when I first got hurt. I knew a hamstring injury was hard to bounce back from. The goal was to get healthy as soon as possible to be back. I had confidence in my teammates to step up in my absence.
BluePrint: Were you confident you could still perform at a high level once you got back on the track?
McMillan: Honestly, I wasn’t very confident at all. I knew I had been out for a while so I didn’t know what to expect when I performed.
BluePrint: How do you view your chances at states?
McMillan: With a lot of hard work I’m hoping to come home with some medals.
BluePrint: Does the experience of states last year help you now?
McMillan: As a junior at states I was just happy to be there, states for the first time can be overwhelming, so it’s all a learning experience. I hope to be more competitive without so much nerve.
BluePrint: What has been the best part of your BA athletic career?
McMillan: Getting to experience every win as well as every loss. With my team, win or lose, we are still a family. that’s the best part, you always had someone there for you.
BluePrint: Do you plan to play sports in any way after high school?
McMillan: No, the Army will take up a lot of my time with ROTC.
