CAMBRIDGE — Former Swampscott football player and current Harvard running back Xaviah Bascon was recently voted Harvard University’s 152nd football captain. Bascon just wrapped up his junior season, rushing for a career-high 626 yards and seven touchdowns. He also hauled in a personal-best 14 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.
Bascon said he wasn’t surprised by the vote because he’s confident in his leadership qualities, but when his name was announced, he was proud that his teammates believed in him — especially on a team he described as full of leaders.
“There’s so many great leaders on this team, especially in my class, guys that played early and just a lot of guys that definitely could have been captains as well. I don’t want to say I was surprised, because I feel confident in what I can provide from my own perspective,” Bascon said. “’I’m just so grateful to be voted as captain because there’s so many that were just very qualified to also be a captain. I’m truly grateful.”
Asked about the moment itself, Bascon said he felt a mix of excitement and gratitude.
“In the moment I was definitely filled with excitement. It was a great feeling to know that your teammates, that they all voted on it, and it was special in that sense — just knowing that my team was voting for me to be the guy who represents them and that they’re going to stand by,” he said. “I was very fulfilled with the feeling of gratitude.”
After he was announced as captain, Bascon made sure to go back and thank his prior coaches who helped shape him into the player and leader he is today.
“I reached out to all of my high school coaches at Swampscott and people who played a big role in my life. I just thanked them because they definitely helped me so much to even be here,” Bascon said.
From youth football to high school, Bascon said Swampscott provided him with strong role models and coaches who supported him since he first picked up the sport.
“I think it’s special there because I grew up playing there my entire life. I played there since I was in the first grade, and so playing all the way through my senior year of high school, I think it just developed me from early on,” Bascon said. “I was super blessed with an amazing youth football staff — from Coach Fred Dubiel, Paul Mignone and Joe Ross, and so many amazing leaders. From a young child, to be able to look up and see their passion for the sport and see how they approach the game sparked so much love for me.”
“Then in high school you have Coach [Peter] Bush, Coach Rob Serino and Coach Bob Serino. All three of them are amazing people and guys that approached the game the right way. They love it and care so much about it. They are going to be hard on you and demand the best from you, but I think that’s what ultimately led me to this place — the demand for excellence every day and just their attitude toward everything,” Bascon said.
Bascon is the second offensive player in the last three years to be voted as captain, the other being Shane McLaughlin.
