PEABODY — Being named captain is an honor for any high school athlete. Doing it twice, at two different schools, is something special.
That’s the story of Austin Prep senior Jimmy Vahey, a Peabody native who spent his first three years at Bishop Fenwick before transferring and reclassifying. After being a key player for the Crusaders, he’s now a leader for the Cougars — and one of the most respected players in the gym.
“I take pride in earning this role as captain,” Vahey said. “I try to be a leader on and off the court. If I see someone struggling in school, I’m always open to help — whether it’s basketball or not. Seeing that everyone voted for me as a captain meant a lot to me. It was a goal of mine.”
Vahey’s journey began on Peabody’s outdoor courts and in the city’s youth leagues.
“I’ve been playing basketball since I was four years old,” he said. “The PBA (Peabody Basketball Association) was big for me growing up. Between that and playing at parks around me in Peabody, I just fell in love with it.”
At Bishop Fenwick, Vahey battled adversity early on.
“It was a big learning experience,” he said. “In my freshman and sophomore years I got injured at the start of the season. Coming back from those injuries was a lot mentally. I had to start on the bench once I got healthy, which was hard because I had never done that before. It was a huge change I had to adapt to.”
By his junior season, Vahey emerged as one of Fenwick’s top players, averaging 12.8 points and 11 rebounds per game. After reclassifying and transferring to Austin Prep, he immediately made an impact.
“It started off strong,” he said. “We had the NEPSAC showcase at Babson College in the summer and went 3-0. During the season there were five of us who transferred in, so none of us had experience in the league. It was a big learning curve, but we won a good amount of games.”
Developing chemistry was another adjustment.
“It took a while to get,” Vahey said. “The more we played together and watched film, the better it looked. Once we learned how to play with each other, we started to click.”
Now entering his final season and with college coaches keeping tabs on Vahey, Vahey’s focus is on consistency — both personally and for the team.
“I’m an all-around player. I use my athleticism and try to bring energy when I step on the court,” he said. “Individually, I want to show my defensive versatility more, shoot more consistently, and dunk more in games because that’s an easy way to bring up the energy.”
Playing in college has always been part of the dream.
“It’s always been a dream of mine,” Vahey said.
As for Austin Prep’s goals, Vahey’s message is clear.
“Our team ambitions are high,” Vahey said. “We want to be the best team in Class B. We want to be one of the best shooting teams too. We’re setting a high bar, but we believe we can meet it.”
Vahey said he can’t wait to get back on the court in a month’s time.
“I’m really excited,” he said. “It feels like we’ve been out of the season for a while. We’re all ready to start strong and make a statement.”
