By Holly D’Addio, Harbor News Sports
Writer:
He hasn’t even
started his senior year at The Morgan School yet, but Sean Nunan has more
sports success under his belt than many have in their entire high school
career. While this year promises to bring him more accolades in both soccer and
track, Sean also hopes to continue to build on his coaching resume and find a
college where he can play all of the sports he loves.
Playing soccer since
he was four, Sean played on the Clinton
Parks and Recreation
team, followed by travel soccer and then South Central Premier Soccer for three
years. Most recently, he finished his first season with the elite Oakwood Soccer
Club out of Glastonbury—a
team he had to try out for that plays in country-wide tournaments from winter
through summer. This past season, his team won the state championship and went
to regionals in Portland, Maine where they went undefeated.
“I got really
serious about soccer growing up and I decided to give Oakwood a shot,” says
Sean. “I didn’t make it the first time I tried out, but then last year I got on
the team and it’s been a great experience and great exposure for college.”
Sean made the
varsity soccer team at Morgan his freshman year. He has played every position
on the field except goalkeeper and currently resides on the midfield line. He
was a Second Team All-Shoreline player and team MVP last season for the
Huskies.
“We barely made it
to states last season, but we made it to the quarterfinals—the furthest we’ve
gone in years,” says Sean. “This season we look great. There’s a lot of really
good incoming freshmen and we have a new coach who seems like he’s going to be
great for our team. We’ve all been working out well and everyone seems to be in
pretty good shape from what I can see so I think we’ll be on fire.”
Besides soccer, Sean
found a love of running in high school and is a member of the indoor and
outdoor track teams at Morgan.
“I love running
track because I’m very competitive,” says Sean. “Running is kind of what got me
into soccer because when I was younger, I was faster than a lot of the kids so
when I got to high school I decided to run competitively.”
Sean was First Team
All-Shoreline in the sprint medley relay in indoor track last season and First
Team All-Shoreline for outdoor track in the 4x4 relay, placed eighth overall in
the 300 high hurdles in the State Open, was the number one seed in the state
championship for hurdles, and placed third in the state tournament for the 400.
He also has an
interest in coaching. He has already completed his “E” coaching license
(allowing him to coach kids 13 and under) and should have his “D” license
within the month, where he will then be able to coach kids 17 and under. In the
past, he has assisted his Oakwood coach in coaching the youth U11 girls’ soccer
team.
Sean also has an
active involvement with his school and town community. At Morgan, he is a
member of student council, peer advocates, and volunteers for the Step Program,
which is an orientation for the incoming freshmen at Morgan. He has also
volunteered with the Clinton Bluefish Festival.
Entering his final
year at Morgan, Sean has already begun to think about college, although the
location is still very up the air.
“I’ve been looking
at all divisions for college,” says Sean. “I’d love to do all the sports if
possible. I know I want to major in physical education because I really want to
get into coaching. I’d love to be able to be a part of other people progressing
in a sport.”
Sidelines with Sean
Nunan
What is your most
memorable sports moment?
During soccer season
last year when we played Old Lyme, it was a pretty intense game. I had scored a
free kick from way out and it was just this impossible shot that I made, but
Old Lyme came back and tied it up. We battled them throughout the game, but we
won on a penalty kick I made in the last couple of minutes. In track, it was
the 4x4 relay in the shoreline tournament and I was the anchor for the relay. I
got the baton in the fourth-place position and was able to run by everyone to
get first place.
Who would you like
to thank?
My dad—he pushes me
a lot and sometimes we argue about how he pushes me so hard, but I always thank
him in the end because if he wasn’t there pushing me, I don’t know if I’d be
doing so well in sports. I also want to thank all my coaches, especially Mike
Underwood and Matt Cameron, and all my friends and my sister, Caitlin, for
supporting me.
Pictured: Sean Nunan (left) brings experience to the Morgan boys' soccer team this fall as a senior.
Photo courtesy of Sean Nunan