NC senior puts team first
Spend just a little time talking with North Central senior Jacob Aspenleiter, and you’ll suspect this isn’t a kid who’ll be wandering around in his letter jacket in 20 years, reminiscing about the good old days.
Spend a while longer with a couple of his coaches at NC, and you’ll know it for sure.
NC basketball coach Jay Webber leads off: “Jake is just an awesome kid. In addition to being a great student (4.0 g.p.a.), he represents North Central as well as anyone can in everything that he does. He’s a great citizen.”
And football coach Jay Jordan: “Jacob exemplifies what we want young players to be. He’s a leader, a true all-around student-athlete. His work ethic, his attitude, everything.”
Aspenleiter is a three-sport athlete at NC, adding baseball to the mix in the spring, and he’ll be hard to replace on the fields and in the halls of the North Side school.
“We live a team-first philosophy every day here,” said Jordan, “and without a doubt, Jake buys into that. He didn’t miss a single workout during the summer, even the optional ones.
“But here’s the real indicator of his work ethic: He was injured during our first game last fall, broke a bone in his ankle and had two screws inserted. We thought he was done for the season, but he came back for the last five games. He got right into rehab and did everything he was supposed to do.”
That was a tough start to Aspenleiter’s senior year, especially after all his hard work in the off-season.
“It was pretty hard at first, and I was frustrated to begin with,” he said. “But I realized that I couldn’t stay down on myself and that our other quarterback needed me. So I focused on what the team needed and not what I needed.
“The hardest part was that football is my No. 1 love. But I did whatever I could do off my feet and on, and I was really happy to get back.”
He brings that same selfless attitude to the basketball court, Webber said.
“When we lost our big man, Jake had to move inside and really play defense on the interior. He’s only 6-1, but he’s a good-sized kid and very physical with guys taller than him. He mixes it up pretty well.
“Jake really understands what his role is on the team. He knows he won’t be the leading scorer, but he does all the little things that coaches notice and that casual fans don’t. He does a great job on the boards, and he’s a guy who always makes the extra pass.”
Jordan recalled Aspenleiter’s contributions during his recovery.
“We didn’t have to miss his leadership,” said the coach, “because it was still there, just in a different way. Obviously, it wasn’t between the lines for a while, but watching him you saw how badly he wanted to come back.
“When he returned, his competitive nature came out in a really positive way. He knew he had to work for his job and prove he could still play. He came and worked out as much as he could every day, and it was nice to see him get a chance again.”
Aspenleiter’s high school athletic career has been a dream fulfilled.
“Since I was in elementary school, I’d go to high school games. It was my dream to be on the varsity, play in front of big crowds, have the fans watching and yelling for you.”
As difficult as it will be to say goodbye this June, Aspenleiter is prepared for the transition.
“I’ve been playing football, basketball and baseball since I was about 5 years old,” he said, “but it’s all about moving on in life.”
He hopes to attend either Eastern Washington University or Gonzaga University, studying electrical engineering.
Webber summed up the view of Aspenleiter’s teammates at North Central when he said, “The other kids respect Jake and what he stands for. They understand that he’s done the little things that make a difference in how North Central does. He’s an unselfish kid, the kind that players and coaches love.”