(Photo courtesy of the Levittown Public Schools)
Not only is MacArthur High School senior Jayson Maynard a captain of the varsity boys track team, but he is a scholar athlete.
The returning All-County runner has concrete goals, on and off the track.
“Whatever is asked of him, he goes above and beyond,” head coach Mike Gattus said of Maynard. “He runs extra in the morning and after workouts. He influences the other runners with his work ethic.”
Since Maynard was a child, he’s loved science. He wants to understand how the body works, with a specific career path in mind.
And he is inspired by his grandfather.
“I want to go into medicine, specifically, radiation oncology,” Maynard said. “I can do something good for myself, all while helping others. The thing that inspired me to want to do radiation oncology is, a few years ago, my grandfather was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. My mom would take him for treatment a few times a week. She would come home and not only talk about my grandfather, but all of the other patients sitting there helpless. It made me want to be able to help those people.”
While Maynard’s dream is to compete at the Division I level, he understands that his decision will come down to what institution offers a competitive medical program.
Throughout Maynard’s four years with the Generals, he’s set multiple records, including the 4 x 1 school record, which was set last spring. Additionally, he’s become a leader for the varsity squad, a quality he learned four years ago from the seniors at the time.
“Back in my freshman year, we always looked up to the senior class, and they taught us what we need to improve on,” Maynard said. “My teammates and I built upon that since we’ve been training together for the last four years. We’ve seen a big improvement because of our consistency and our dedication to what we do.”
To be successful in running, Maynard understands that, sometimes, you need a wing and a prayer.
“In any race, anyone can win,” he said. “In terms of being an athlete, the goal is always to win. My goal is to lead my team to a county championship and states.”
Before Maynard departs from MacArthur, his goal is to become a state champion. To do so, he knows exactly what he and the rest of the team need to do.
“To secure that in the state meet, you need to place in the top five individually in the state qualifier,” he said. “Our team has a shot. To count yourself out, based on how other people are racing, isn’t a good mentality.”
