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The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

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Wismann, a two-sport star

Running hard towards home, Matt Wismann, an athletic six-year-old, slides onto home plate as the umpire yells “SAFE!”
Wismann dusts the dirt off his pants and proceeds towards his team bench, receiving high-fives from his teammates as he goes. He gulps down sips of ‘fierce melon’ Gatorade and says goodbye to his team, eager for the next game.

Twelve years later Wismann puts on his Paly baseball uniform and heads out onto the field. While his uniform and height may have changed, his love for the sport is as strong as it was when he was six.

Wismann has played baseball as a shortstop and pitcher since he was four years old, and always imagined playing for a high school team.

“I would always go to watch my cousins games," he said. "When I watched them play I knew I wanted to be there one day.”

Wismann has come a long way since his days in Y-ball. He has played for Palo Alto teams his entire life, competing at All-Star and Babe Ruth levels. Neil McGregor coached Wismann for three years while he played Babe Ruth and for two years on Paly’s JV team.

“[Matt] is absolutely one of the strongest players that Paly had for those two years,” McGregor said.

According to McGregor, Wismann not only demonstrates talent and ability on the field, he also shows strong sportsmanship off of the field. He has strong ties with his teammates and loves the feeling of being on a team.

“Its cool to create a bond that you can rely on both on and off the field,” Wismann said. “It is nice to know that you’re not just there by yourself, there is always a guy standing next to you.”

Wismann’s teammates also convey a strong respect for him and his love for the game. “He gives the game his all and he is a excellent leader,” said junior teammate Andrew White.

While baseball is a big part of Wismann’s life, it is not the only sport in which he excels. He also played on Paly’s football team for four years, two on JV and two on varsity. He was a wide receiver, a long snapper, a defensive back, and a kick/punt returner.

While Wismann is now considered an all-star athlete, he says he was not born with the ability to catch a football.

“My freshman year of high school I didn’t even get on the field for one play,” said Wismann. “[Before high school] I played pop-Warner for one year, but we weren’t very good.”

Throughout his four seasons playing Paly football Wismann never stopped putting his heart into the game.

“He has done an excellent job for us,” said varsity football coach Earl Hanson. “He’s very physical, he always plays hard.”

English teacher and sports enthusiast Mike McNulty taught Wismann for two years.

“I love Matt Wismann,” McNulty said. “He is extremely well organized, he does every assignment on time, and he puts maximum effort into everything that he does.”

While Wismann’s college plans for next year are undecided, he hopes to continue to play at least one of his sports. He may end up playing Division I football for Boise State University in Idaho, or head to Southern California to continue his baseball career. While the future remains unclear for Wismann, he says his hard work and passion for sports will remain with him.

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