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Shane McGuffin finds the deeper meaning in life’s normal activities
As the fourth quarter wound down in varsity basketball’s Senior Night game, Shane McGuffin pulled up to the three-point line in the corner of the court and shot the ball over the extended arms of the Arroyo Grande player defending him. The ball went in with a swish, and he turned to acknowledge an electrified student section before returning to the game. The Bearcats lost that evening — but for McGuffin, there’s much more to life than wins and losses on the court.
McGuffin has played four years of school sports, held student leadership positions all four years of high school (three of which were class president), and, most recently, committed to Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island where he will major in Food and Beverage Entrepreneurship.
To get to this point, however, McGuffin swam through a sea of adversity. In 8th grade, McGuffin had two major surgeries: one on his right knee and the other on his back. A bacterial infection in his knee caused the former, which left him with a full-leg cast, crutches, and months of physical therapy. No more than eight months later, McGuffin found himself once again in the operating room, this time for a staph infection in his back.
“When I sat up for the first time after [the second surgery], I felt so funny. […] The doctor apparently hit a nerve during my surgery that numbed my right leg and weakened all my muscles within it as well,” McGuffin said. To this day, his right leg hasn’t regained full sensation. But these surgeries haven’t put a stop to his athletic activities. Throughout high school, McGuffin played three years of football (all but his freshman year) and basketball all four years.
McGuffin’s love for basketball shines bright for more reasons than simply the thrill of the game. For him, the sport reflects everyday life in multiple ways. “[Basketball] really taught me about becoming a leader, and how to do things not just well, but efficiently,” McGuffin said.
“Being highly involved with my leadership class, it influenced me to be more than just a chef. Becoming a true altruist is my main philosophy, which I aim to mix into my dream career down the road in life,” McGuffin said.
McGuffin sees a unique connection between his time on the court and his time in class office. “Believe it or not, basketball has influenced me to be a part of the leadership program and student government because I learned that the more you assist, the better person and the better basketball player you become,” he said.
Over his four years of student leadership participation, one thing stands out about McGuffin’s efforts. “Since the beginning of my freshman campaign, I’m proud of the unity created within my class. I think unity is one of the most important things to have within the class because unity creates memories, and memories are absolutely priceless,” McGuffin noted.
ASB Leadership advisor Jennifer Bedrosian has recognized McGuffin’s efforts to bring the student body together and create memories.
“Shane’s really tried to create a culture of entertainment. He’s worked on building the spirit in the assemblies and focusing on what students are really excited about, not just what we think we want them to see,” Bedrosian said. “Our assembly for homecoming [was] definitely a success based on the fact he knew students wanted spirit as opposed to story […]. It turned out great and we’ve been able to use that as a model for other activities,” she added.
The next chapter in McGuffin’s life will take him to JWU for a culinary arts major. From a young age, he’s grown a passion for cooking from his family. Now, he’s turning that passion into a career path in college.
“Being in the kitchen was truly a passion of mine since I was pretty little, and I was so eager to learn more about the food industry. […] As a senior in high school, it’s hard to really pinpoint what I want to do, but I do want to become a restaurateur and food business entrepreneur,” McGuffin said.
Overall, McGuffin looks ahead towards combining all elements of his life to make the most out of his dream career. “Being highly involved with my leadership class, it influenced me to be more than just a chef. Becoming a true altruist is my main philosophy, which I aim to mix into my dream career down the road in life,” he said.
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Shane McGuffin encuentra el significado más profundo en las actividades normales de la vida
Shane McGuffin ha demostrado durante todo su tiempo en la escuela secundaria que es posible ir más allá de lo que se espera de un estudiante. Después de tres años de fútbol, cuatro años de baloncesto, cuatro años de oficina estudiantil y un compromiso universitario, McGuffin espera continuar con la tendencia de hacer el bien a los demás simplemente por hacer el bien.
McGuffin luchó por dos problemas de salud importantes para llegar a este punto de su vida. En octavo grado, tuvo dos cirugías serias: una sobre sus rodillas y otra sobre su espalda. Hasta el día de hoy, McGuffin tiene un adormecimiento duradero en la pierna debido a la cirugía de la espalda.
McGuffin jugó baloncesto durante los cuatro años de preparatoria. Él cree que el baloncesto lo ayudó a mejorar como líder en el campus.
Después de la preparatoria, McGuffin se inscribirá en la Johnson & Wales University en Rhode Island, donde se especializó en Emprendimiento de Alimentos y Bebidas para perseguir su pasión.
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