Devon Prep Scholar-Athlete Makes School History

DEVON, Pa. - May 29, 2013 - PRLog -- When Broomall resident Thomas Seykora decided to change schools in the seventh grade he had been running Track and Cross Country in his parish CYO program for several years. After he and his parents chose Devon Prep to continue his education he looked into the Cross Country program to see what would be available in high school.

“One of the main reasons I liked Devon is because it’s small. I did some research and learned they had won something like five district championships in Cross Country before I got there, so I definitely knew something special was going on there,” Seykora said.

Little did he know that in a few years he would be making his own mark on the school and the athletic program.

Seykora will graduate, on Saturday, June 1, as a member of the Class of 2013. Having the highest average over 8 semesters, he will serve as class valedictorian, an honor he shares with two of his equally deserving classmates Antonio Muscarella and Ryan Shannon. As an AP Scholar with Distinction, a National Merit Commended Student, a Distinguished Honor student, an Eagle Scout, and a member of the Academic Challenge Team as well as several clubs and activities, Seykora has a reputation as an outstanding student with a strong work ethic.   He is also recognized as one of the most decorated athletes in Devon’s history.

Seykora started his running career at Devon Prep as a freshman and has participated on the Cross Country, Indoor Track & Field, and Spring Track & Field teams for the past four years. He won numerous awards including several Devon Prep Most Valuable Player Awards, has been named to All Bicentennial Athletic League (BAL) Cross Country and Track First Teams, All Main Line Cross Country, and Track First Teams, and he qualified for the PIAA Class AA State Championship in Cross Country two years in a row.  

He recently won the District 1 AA championship for the 1600m with a time of 4:29 and earned the honor of being the first District champion for Devon Prep since 2009. He also broke the school record in the 800m run at the Unionville Invitational earlier this year with a time of 1:57.75 replacing the 1980 record of 1:58.2.

Last Saturday, just a week before graduation, his running career at Devon Prep ended on an even higher note when he won the silver medal at the PIAA Class AA State Championship for the 1600m with a time of 4:29.05. The only Devon Prep athlete to perform better at States was Seykora’s coach, Paul Sanborn, who won the gold in 1964.

“Coach Sanborn said to me my freshman year – ‘I see you as a miler.’ I said ok, I’ll give it a try,” Seykora explained. “I did pretty well so I stuck with it. Since then I’ve always thought of myself as a miler.  He helped me realize that I could be a really good runner.  He fostered that within me over the past four years and helped me along the way.

“Winning the silver definitely tops breaking the 800m record,” Seykora continued. “In another 30 years someone else could come along and break my record, and I hope somebody does, but no one can take my race at States away from me.”

According to Sanborn, Seykora’s achievements as a student and athlete come from his drive to succeed. “Overcoming challenges from injuries and technique, particularly in his freshman and sophomore year, Tom emerged in his junior year as one of the better milers in the school's history,” Sanborn said. “This year Tom ran at a very high level of competence to break Devon's 800 record, finish second in the Class AA 1600 State Championship race, dominate the Bicentennial League in track meets, and still continue to perform well enough in the classroom to finish with the highest GPA in his graduating class.”

In the fall Seykora will attend the University of Pennsylvania where he plans to run Track and Cross Country as well as study bio-engineering for a future career in the medical field.  But for now he is taking the time to enjoy his accomplishments as a scholar and an athlete, and his place in Devon Prep history.

Devon Prep is an independent, Catholic, college preparatory school for young men in grades 6 through 12 conducted by the Piarist Fathers.  The school, which is located in Devon, Chester County, enrolls students from Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Bucks counties as well as parts of Philadelphia. For more information call 610-688-7337 or visit www.devonprep.com.