Shalaway, Deacons Ready for Impactful Spring
1/5/2021 12:30:00 PM | Men's Track and Field
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- After experiencing elbow problems as a junior that resulted in postseason surgery, Wake Forest track and field captain Elijah Shalaway was looking forward to a big comeback season in the spring of 2020.
Of course, that season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Last year was set to be the big comeback year," Shalaway said.
However, Shalaway turned that short-term negative into a positive as he took advantage of the extra year of eligibility afforded by the NCAA to come back to Wake Forest to work on his master's in education from the Wake Forest University Master Teacher Fellows (MTF) program. He's already finished his undergrad program, majoring in english with minors in studio art and education.
The extended path was made possible in part when he earned the Dr. Pepper Go Teach Tuition Scholarship. He initially earned a $2,500 award, with an opportunity to compete for an additional $20,000.
"After everything was canceled, I kind of thought I was retired," Shalaway said. "My goal was always to find my way into teaching and to get a masters (degree) at some point. I figured I would do that at home, but wasn't sure how that was going to happen.
"This really was a blessing from the Lord. It's a master's in education with a teaching license in 12 months. Most programs are at least 18 months and are much more expensive. My coaches really wanted me to come back and be a leader. We had a really good training season last year, so losing the all spring competition was quite a downer. I was set to show a lot of improvement and make a big run."
After folks at Wake Forest received clarification that postgrad students were eligible to be recognized, Shalaway had just a weekend to put together an essay and a video to explain his qualifications and what he would do with the award.
"My jaw dropped, because I was completely surprised," Shalaway said about getting the news in early November. "Oh wow, I won this and didn't even know about it. It was really cool and such a blessing, just to get that extra funding. This year has obviously been difficult. Just getting that help with my tuition was helpful and encouraging. It shows that people support this dream of being a teacher. It's a blessing to get that extra bit, and know that I'm where I need to be."
For better or worse, classwork has earned the bulk of Shalaway's attention since getting back to campus in the fall.
"All the COVID-19 protocols have ended up being helpful to me, because I was so focused on school," he said. "There were times I was on my laptop 10-12 hours a day, doing schoolwork. With that, training has been light so far, with classwork and finals being prioritized. Javelin is a spring sport, so we've been able to count on that. As long as I stay in shape, I'll be fine. I don't need to make massive gains, plus I had a good start to the fall training block. The goal is to remain in decent shape, so that when I restart training I'll be able to take off."
He added that as long as the ground isn't frozen — which hasn't been the case around North Carolina yet — there's always somewhere to throw the javelin.
"I am very excited," he said about the coming spring track and field season. "My sophomore year was the last time I had a personal best. It will have been three years since I had a new best. I've been chomping at the bit. I'm an adrenaline junkie, when I compete everything gets better. I always throw better in competition than in practice. I think we can really do some damage in the ACC."
While Shalaway is aimed to shatter a personal best in the javelin, he also believes the Demon Deacons will have a big spring season as a team.
"We just had a great cross country season, and hopefully will have a couple guys come back for the spring," he said. "This should be one of the best outdoor seasons we've had in a long time."
He believes the diversity of his interests and skills will help him become a great teacher in the coming years.
"Being somebody who understands what it's like to be an athlete, enjoy the arts and appreciate literature — I think I have the skills to reach a wide variety of students," Shalaway said. "I want to help students be prepared to successfully enter society and make an impact in the workforce."
