CLEVELAND — As Medina and Ignatius do battle in the next round of the OHSAA playoff, one student-athlete has already proven to be a major winner in the classroom.
When he’s on the football field for the Medina Battling Bees, Nick Manley’s strength is on full display.
“The mental aspect of getting to beat people with different schemes, and then with a little bit more of the physical aspect that you don’t get in most sports of full contact fully padded up,” said Manley about some of his favorite parts of the game.
The 17-year-old senior defensive lineman has been playing tackle football since the third grade. Over the years, he’s earned the nickname of the “Gentle Giant.”
“Growing up, I like to be nice on the football field, you know? I like being intense, but also, you know, being a good sport is always fun too. So I think a mix of that and being a little bit bigger is where I got that from,” said Manley.
But it’s not just the football field that’s gotten him attention from colleges. He’s also a powerhouse in the classroom.
He holds above a 4.0 GPA, getting him the attention of college football programs like the Ivy League’s University of Pennsylvania.
He’s earned the opportunities from putting the work in.
“Education’s always come first to me because that’s been instilled by my family and, you know, you’re always going to have so much time to play because your body’s only going to give you so many years to actually compete, so I think having a plan after that is absolutely the most important thing in choosing a college,” said Manley.
Medina High School math teacher Nick Raso is in his second year of teaching Manley in Advanced Placement courses.
Manley has become one of his favorite students as he’s enjoyed watching him thrive on the field and in the classroom.
“Nick is unique in the sense that he’s such a good athlete at the sport he’s playing and still has such a great academic outlook. It speaks volumes for what he will be able to do in the future and the mindset that he has of having education be one of the first things he’s always thinking about. It’s not the stereotypical kid and it’s just a pleasure to watch.”
And as Manley sets a strong example for future student-athletes, he’s enjoying his final days with his teammates as he prepares for a bright future.
“It’s not OK to take school days off or take practices off. Just make sure you’re always in the present, and always putting your best effort in, because everything’s going to reward you,” said Manley. “The team is great, you know, we’ve built a family over the last couple years and I’m gonna miss these guys.”
