Name: Owen LeSage

School: Dixon

Sport: Track & field

Year: Junior

Why he was selected: He was the shot put champion and took sixth in the discus at the Geneseo Invite. His longest throw in the shot put this season is 57-feet, 2.25 inches, the third-longest throw in Class 2A this season. That is also the seventh-best throw in Dixon school history, and the best since 2010 (Preston Lumzy, 57-1.5).

“Owen is a great athlete who works hard and is a student of the sport,” Dixon coach Ryan Deets said. “He holds the sophomore class shot put record and is knocking on the door of the junior class record at Dixon High School.”

LeSage is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week, presented by Loescher Heating and Air Conditioning. Here is a Q&A with him after an online vote.

How did you first get into track & field? What has helped keep you in it?

LeSage: To speak freely, I joined the track team in my freshman year to fill time between football seasons, but due to a great admiration for our fantastic coaches and the relationships I have built with teammates, I couldn’t imagine not participating in this sport. I specifically love the individual aspect of track: competing against myself, and seeing results come directly from the amount of work I put in has become almost an addiction – constantly itching for another good performance/personal best.

Is there anything you have worked on coming into the season or feel you have improved?

LeSage: Coming into this season, I worked hard to improve my spin in both the shot and disc, as well as spending much time in the weight room to develop my overall strength.

Any standout highlights for you and the team so far this year?

LeSage: As of right now, my current personal bests are 17.43m/ 57-2.25 in shot and 46.41m/152-3 in disc. My teammates are also reaching incredible marks and times through each event, from our insane distance squad to our sprinters.

What stands out about this year’s team?

LeSage: What stands out most about our team is how we have weapons across the board. This year, we have the potential to win our sectional for the first time in over 20 years, as well as send more than 24 athletes to the state meet.

What are your goals this season, individually and as a team?

LeSage: For me, I hope to break our junior record in the shot put: 58-1.5. For our team, we hope to take home the sectional trophy and send as many athletes to state as possible.

Do you have plans for after high school?

LeSage: I hope to attend the best undergraduate business school I get accepted/recruited to, whether it be for academics or throwing. From there, I hope to follow a career somewhere in the finance sector.