Athlete of the Week: 10 questions with Noah Shapo, New Trier/Wilmette Waves baseball

Noah Shapo is a right-handed starting pitcher and rising senior for the Trevians and Waves. He finished his Waves summer season with a 5-0 record and 0.00 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 27 innings. Shapo was the team’s MVPitcher.

1. Do you have any pre-start rituals or superstitions?

Not necessarily. I usually do the same stretching routine with my legs that we did on varsity team this year. … I usually go to J-Bands (for stretching) and run a pole and starting playing catch with my catcher. Then I go to the pen, throw my pitches and get ready to go.

2. What do you hope to do after high school?

I want to play college baseball. Right now, I’m going through the process of what schools are the best fit for me. Education is the most important thing — economics, political science or business and the big three. And I want to go to a big school.

3. What is your favorite thing to do off the field?

I love watching sports, love watching baseball, love watching football. I love playing golf with my friends, taking sports with friends, debating sports with friends — just the latest rumors and all that stuff that comes in.

4. If you could play another sport, what would it be?

I used to wrestle. I stopped after eighth grade. I really liked it. I wrestled for my junior high team and stopped because COVID happened and baseball and wrestling happened at the same time (in 2021). I chose baseball. I like it better at and enjoyed it a bit more. But right now if I could play another one it would be golf. The more I play the more I get better and the more fun it is. Nothing better than hitting a good golf shot.

5. Who is your favorite athlete?

I have a couple. I’m an Eagles fan, so Jalen Hurts (QB) is kind of my guy right now. I love how he carries himself on and of the field. … And in baseball, Framber Valdez (Pitcher, Houston Astros). We have the same arsenal and similar mentality on the mound. He throws the same two pitches, sinker and curveball. He executes and gets a lot of groundballs. I love watching him pitch, love how much his pitches move and how may strikeouts he gets with his curveball.

6. What is your dream job?

Working in like an MLB front office, as a general manager. My favorite movie is “Moneyball.” I love the scenes with Billy Beane in a room with scouts. I love analyzing trades. Leading a franchise and making decisions would probably be my dream job, leading a team to a World Series.

7. What is one thing you can’t live without?

Probably my phone. I’m on it a lot. It’s probably not a good thing but I love Instagram and watching Reels. I watch Netflix and YouTube and sports on there. I do everything pretty much. I probably can’t live without my phone.

8. If you’re in Walgreens with a couple bucks, what are you buying?

My favorite candy is probably Skittles, so I’d go with Skittles. I really don’t drink soda. Probably just a bottle of water.

9. What is something people don’t know about you?

I’m very good at this game called Boggle. I used to play all the time with grandparents. I started when I was really young. It helps with words and vocabulary. My grandparents are law professors but my dad was always the best. Now I’m older and much better than him. Now I’m king of the family.

10. What are your goals going into your senior season?

Third place (in state) was great, but we want to win. I know we got the guys to do it. We want to win state. We to win the last game of the season in the first-place game. I love my teammates and want us all to succeed, and I want to be as good as I possibly can to hep the team win.

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