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| Coach Andrew Wing discusses strategy with the Jordan-Small Middle School boys' basketball team during a game at JSMS in Raymond in January. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA |
Before Andrew Wing graduated in 2019, he was a star athlete on the field and the court and set a perfect example in the classroom at Windham High School. Now a junior majoring in Sports Communication, he still sets an example in the classroom and has made the Dean’s List every semester at St. Joseph’s College.
It is an academic goal of his to remain on the Dean’s List until he graduates in 2023.
Wing played soccer, basketball, and tennis at Windham High School and while he remains an incredible athlete, he chose not to play sports while in college.
“It was a tough decision not wanting to continue my [athletic] career, but I ultimately decided to fully focus on my education,” said Wing.
Although he chose to not play, he was the men’s basketball student assistant under then-head coach Rob Sanicola at St. Joseph’s. He said it was hard work, but an amazing experience.
Wing made many new friends, built great relationships with the coaching staff and was able to be around a sport he loved.
Now having just finished his first full season as the seventh- and eighth-grade boys’ basketball coach at Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond, Wing is staying connected to athletics. He was contacted by JSMS Athletic Director Jack Fitch who asked if he would like to coach the team.
“He gave our boys' team some great coaching and because of Andrew and assistant coach Jed Bloom, the boys had a fun season while learning how to play the game of basketball,” said Fitch.
According to Fitch, they found a good person, a mentor and a coach all-in-one with Andrew Wing.
He says that he had a blast coaching and had no doubt his team improved over the course of the season.
Wing also has a love of film and coupled with his strong work ethic earned him the opportunity to write reviews for Windham resident Ted Trafton’s website “Ted Takes.”
Trafton created the website in 2016 to share his love for film. The website includes preview posts and spoiler-free reviews. “Ted Takes” reviews everything from big-budget film blockbusters to indie movies and even TV shows.
After moving to Windham in 2019, Trafton gravitated toward Wing’s family restaurant, “The Beacon,” in Raymond. It soon became a favorite restaurant of his and they connected over their mutual love of film.
“Andrew is wise beyond his years, an old soul you could say,” said Trafton. “His love for film was incredibly apparent from the start, and what impressed me most was his appreciation for the finer elements of filmmaking often found in the indie film world.”
Trafton said Wing is someone who takes pride in his work, is personable, knowledgeable and a real go-getter.
A year later, Wing has written almost 60 reviews for “Ted Takes.”
“It's extremely rewarding when someone reads a review of mine, takes my suggestion and checks out the film, and enjoys it,” said Wing.
Hard work is the biggest piece of advice Wing can give to graduating high school seniors. If you are moving onto college, Wing says build good study habits, put your education first and you will do fine.
If you aren’t going to college and will be looking for a job after graduation, Wing says to remember that doing something you are truly passionate about can be arguably more important than making money.
After college, Wing plans to work for a publishing company where he can write about sports or film. Having had such a great experience so far, he hopes to continue coaching basketball at either JSMS or even Windham High School. <
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