Crazy busy spring for SHS valedictorian

SANDPOINT — There has been scant downtime for Sandpoint senior Jared Presnell this spring.

How much so?

Consider this garden variety day: Get up early and go to school for seven hours, then it’s off to tennis practice for a couple of hours, followed by a couple hours of golf practice, and finally dinner, homework and if he’s lucky, a couple of hours to chill before going to bed.

And oh by the way, the two sport spring athlete is also Sandpoint’s valedictorian, boasting a robust 4.47 GPA. He recently selected Arizona State over the University of Southern California, where he’ll receive a full academic scholarship to study engineering.

Presnell is in the midst of a whirlwind week. He qualified for state at the district tennis tournament on Friday and Saturday in Coeur d’Alene, then drove all day to Twin Falls, competing in the state golf tournament on Monday and Tuesday. He’ll get a couple of days to rest up before heading down to Boise for the state tennis tournament on Friday, where he’ll play doubles.

Did we mention it’s been a busy spring for Presnell?

“I enjoy being really busy. I don’t have a lot of time where I’m sitting at home doing nothing,” admits Presnell. “The biggest thing is to not burn yourself out in school by finding as much enjoyment as you can in classes.”

Presnell has  been on the varsity golf team for four seasons, but only turned out for tennis as a senior, pulling off the rare spring sports double.

He played for Sandpoint head coach Kent Anderson on the Sandpoint Middle School team and was one of the top players, but opted to stick with golf in high school. With a tennis background and strong work ethic, Presnell made an immediate impact on arguably the strongest tennis team in North Idaho.

“He’ll come out in the rain by himself and serve balls, stay until the last person leaves,” says Anderson. “With his work ethic, had he been on this team all the way through, he would have really been a star.”

Presnell says getting a full ride to Arizona State provides a great sense of accomplishment, a reward for the yeoman scholastic work it takes to earn valedictorian honors. Lauding his enthusiasm and learning-focused style, Presnell calls Woody Aunan his favorite teacher at SHS.

When asked to pick which of the spring sports he likes best, Presnell didn’t hesitate in answering golf.

“It’s very challenging. There’s always something you can improve at,” describes Presnell. “In tennis, there’s a more direct sense of competition, playing against someone.”

Sandpoint head golf coach Tom Tharp admires Presnell’s drive, setting a goal and going after it. The gumption will serve him well down the road.

“Anything he applies himself to, he does well,” says Tharp. “He’ll excel as an adult no matter what he does.”