Athlete of the Week: Matt Mancz, Alter High School

Name: Matt Mancz

School: Alter

Grade: Just graduated

Age: 18

Sport: Volleyball

Claim to fame/honors: Middle hitter on three straight state championship teams; earned honorable mention all-state as a junior and second-team this year; plans to major in mechanical engineering at Wright State

Bet you didn’t know … soccer is actually my favorite sport

Words you live by: Put forth your best effort now so later on you won’t regret anything

Toughest opponent: Moeller

Biggest influences: My father, Matt, and volleyball coach Craig Erford

Match-day rituals: Listen to music to get me ready

What’s on your bedroom walls: Indianapolis Colts flag, Cristiano Reynaldo and Chance the Rapper posters

When I’m bored I like to … look up random sports facts

Favorite movie: Caddyshack or Shawshank Redemption

Person who would play you in a movie: Matt Damon

Favorite TV show: Seinfeld

Favorite musical artist: Maroon Five

Favorite book: A Prayer for Owen Meany

Favorite home-cooked meal: Pork tenderloin, asparagus and mashed potatoes

Favorite restaurant: Red Lobster

Favorite smell: The ocean

Favorite cereal: Reece’s Puffs

Store where you’d like a shopping spree: Nike or Polo Ralph Lauren

Vegetable you won’t eat: Canned spinach

I’d love to trade places for a day with … LeBron James

Whose mind would you like to read? Andrew Luck

Place where you’d love to travel? Spain, especially Madrid

Talent you’d like to have? Ability to sing well

Favorite school subject: Chemistry or history

Favorite athlete: Peyton Manning

Favorite team: Colts

Favorite Olympic sport: Curling

Something in the world I’d like to change: World hunger or how our generation is so caught up in technology instead of experiencing things fully

Favorite sports moment: Beating Elder on their senior night last year; we’d won state titles but had never won against the big three in Cincinnati — Elder, Moeller or St. X; we lost the first two games, but came back to win the last three

Favorite junk food: Swedish fish

Best thing about volleyball: If your teammate does something really cool or impressive, to congratulate them for it and get them fired up

In 10 years, I hope to be … a mechanical engineer looking to start my own business; hopefully to have married or found my future wife

Nominate an Athlete of the Week: Send an email to freelance writer Dave Lamb at d_lamb@msn.com. Please include the athlete’s name, school, sport and a phone number or email address where we can reach that athlete. Please include Athlete of the Week in the subject line.

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