Penn Senior Zack Messer was a standout linebacker for the Penn Football and is also a catcher for the Penn Baseball Team.
What life skills did you learn at the high school level that will help you be successful in college?: Playing high school football has taught me how to make sacrifices. Not only did I have to sacrifice a lot for myself but also for the team.
Who has inspired you the most during your career?: Both my mother and father have inspired me the most throughout my career. Playing two sports, there have been many days where I have wanted to skip a practice or workout due to being tired. My mother and father being the two most reliable people I know, barely have ever missed work. They taught me to have a great work ethic.
What has been your biggest achievement throughout high school (Academic and/or Athletic)?: My biggest athletic achievement throughout high school is being able to compete at the varsity level in two sports. Also, I was able to make first-team all-conference back-to-back years in football. My greatest academic achievement is finishing high school with above a 3.8 GPA and getting scholarship money for college.
What is it like being a two sport athlete, and do you prefer one sport over the other?: Being a two sport athlete takes a lot of dedication and has taught me how to manage my time. I love football and baseball but, football definitely takes the cake for my favorite.
If you had to consider playing another sport besides baseball and football, what would it be, and do you think you would be good at it?: If I had to play another sport other than football or baseball it would be basketball. I played basketball until 6th grade and I was fairly good at it. Also, I have grown a lot since then so with practice I think I would be alright at it.
How old were you when you started playing football?: I was eight years old when I started playing football.
How old were you when you started playing baseball?: I was six years old when I started playing baseball.
What’s your favorite sports memory from your high school career?: My favorite sports memory from my high school career was starting in my first varsity football game and coming out of it leading the team in tackle points.
Name one go to song that gets you locked in to compete?: One song that gets me locked in to compete is “Yes Indeed” by Lil Baby.
