Sachems? senior Justin Winn is an extraordinary three-sport athlete in football, baseball,and basketball. He rushed for 1,256 yards and 22 touchdowns this past season as quarterback of the football team and is a captain on the basketball team. Teammates and opponents marvel at how easy the games come to him.
Winn, however, is no stranger to adversity.
During baseball season this past spring, Winn was patrolling the outfield at Saugus High during batting practice. Someone on the field yelled, “Heads up!” and that was the last time Winn would ever see clearly out of both eyes.
?I turned around and a line drive socked me right in the left eye,” said Winn.
Winn immediately hit the ground, and was rushed by ambulance to Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston.
?Doctors had to stitch my eyelid back on,” he said, explaining he suffered a choroidal rupture. “I was at the hospital for 10 hours that day. I lost some of the vision in my eye, and it will never be back to normal.”
One of four senior captains for this year?s Sachems? basketball team, Winn is excited to start his final season on the hardwood ? and confirmed that his court vision is as good as ever.
?Justin?s a real tough kid,” said Saugus coach Paul Moran. “He?s been dedicated and puts in the work. He just goes out and plays.”
The 5-feet-8, 160-pound Winn does not overwhelm opponents with size, nor is he the quickest player on the floor. The quality that makes Winn so unique is his willingness to work hard and grind, whether his team is in the middle of a game or he is working on a drill in practice.
?He?s just a tough kid,” said Moran. “We never use excuses here, and he knows that. Justin plays through it.”
Winn?s football season did not end the way he envisioned, but he has a goal in mind to make basketball season a success.
?I was teary-eyed leaving the football field on Thanksgiving,” he said, “knowing that was the last time I?d walk off that field. I?m sure that will happen on the court, so we?ve got to make the most out of the year.
?Making the state tournament is our goal. We need to play our game. We?re not going to put up a lot of points this year, but our defense is what?s going to keep us in games.”