Gavin Stabnik is a rising sophomore student-athlete at Penn High School. He competes in cross country and track and field.
What do you do to mentally prepare yourself before meets?
I always make sure that I get lots of sleep the night before a meet so I’m awake and ready. When I am on the way to the meet I make sure that I listen to lots of music to get in the right mindset. I pretty much listen to music until the gun goes off to start the race. The less things going on in my head, the better.
How do you recover your body day in and day out?
After every run I do I make sure that I go through my stretching routine that my coaches and trainers suggest. This helps a bunch so that I am not sore all the time. I also make sure that I eat good protein and carbs for dinner so my body is fully prepared for the next workout or race.
What are your high school goals?
For running I don’t have a bunch of goals right now because I keep on getting stress fractures in my legs. But academically I want to graduate with the highest diploma, honors diploma. I also want to join as many clubs as I can.
What are you doing to achieve those goals?
Currently I am taking many extremely difficult courses. I work extremely hard every night to make sure that I stay above the 3.75 GPA line. I also go before and after school to go to as many clubs as I can.
What are your plans after high school?
After high school I plan to attend the University of Indiana (Bloomington). Currently I have my sights set on majoring in business school. I also want to keep on always running because I enjoy it so much.
How has being the youngest sibling affected you as an athlete?
Being a youngest sibling has made me a way better athlete overall. This is mainly because I had an older sibling that also did long distance running before me. This made my parents have more knowledge on how to make me a better athlete. For example they understand what are good and bad foods to feed me before and after workouts and meets.
How is the environment on the team?
The environment on the team is the best out of any team I have been on. It’s supportive and kind and there is lots of competition and people to get along with. Everyone on the team is extremely open and easy to talk to. The coaches are also amazing people and really believe in us as athletes and as people.
What is your biggest personal benefit of attending Penn?
Penn is a huge school and this has helped me become friends with amazing people. This is really convenient that we have a big school because I get to put people around me that I trust and can build positive relationships with.
What are your academic goals?
Academically I want to maintain a 3.75 GPA . I also have my sights set on graduating with an honors diploma. This is so that I can attend college at Indiana University.
What does it mean to you being a Penn athlete?
To me, being a Penn athlete means we are making a difference in the world inside and outside of the school. Being an athlete means that I can represent our school in a positive way. I am also held up to this super high standard meaning that I have to work hard everywhere.
