Oswego East Student-Athlete of the Week-Vivek Parashar

Oswego IL

25 March, 2022

12:16 PM

Description

Senior tennis player Vivek Parashar ingratiates himself into everything he tries in life. Whether that is tennis, music, or academics, Vivek's relentless pursuit of achieving success in whatever endeavor he takes on speaks to his character and determination to be the best, which is why he is this week's Oswego East student-athlete of the week. Vivek's started playing tennis at the young age of 7. "Vivek's father, Mahesh, is a huge tennis fan and loves watching tennis," says Vivek's mother, Sandhya. She goes on to say, "When Vivek was seven, his dad surprised him with a trial lesson at Rush Copley Healthplex, and what started as a trial lesson stretched into years of a fulfilling journey with many milestones reached." The passion his father showed for the sport is what admittedly helped get Vivek hooked. "When I was little, I would watch him play tennis against his friends and watch tennis on the television, and I became interested right away," says Vivek. Vivek would juggle tennis and taekwondo through the age of 12. Outside of sports, Vivek was also becoming an accomplished violinist and got accepted into the Chicago Youth Symphony. "Music is an integral part of Vivek's life and has a huge influence on who Vivek is today," says Sandhya. She adds, "The qualities ingrained in him as a musician will help him succeed in all aspects of life. Strong work ethic, critical thinking skills, the ability to absorb new material quickly, attention to detail, teamwork, and a willingness to devote long hours to study and practice will not only help him as a concert violinist but also in academics, athletics, and extracurriculars." Vivek was able to balance both music and tennis at an early age, playing tournaments on Friday and Saturday and attending violin lessons during the week and classes with the Chicago Youth Symphony on Sundays. As a freshman, Vivek's hard work paid off in tennis, as he made the varsity team as a freshman. "I realized my freshman year when I made the varsity that I belonged," says Vivek. Although the season has just begun, new head coach Michael Dutton believes Vivek's strengths as a player and person will help the team succeed. "Vivek's strengths are his athletic ability, knowledge of the sport, and tremendous control of his mechanics," says Michael. He goes on to say, "Vivek has the potential to be a good leader, something I hope to work on with him throughout the season. He shows up every day, works hard, is a fantastic player, and is always looking to improve his game as a player. He recognizes traits he has to work on and doesn't make excuses." Vivek has both team-oriented and individual goals, saying, "In the short term, we are hoping to figure out where all of our pieces fit," says Vivek. He goes on to say, "the long-term goal is winning conference and sending as many individuals as we can to state." Making the state tournament is a goal Vivek has set for himself, having come close last season after losing in the qualifying round of sectionals last season. Off the court, Vivek shines even brighter in the classroom. Having earned a 35 on the ACT and is involved in Mu Alpha Theta, the National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, and as a member of the Mathletes and Science Olympiad, Vivek's resume allows him to have a bevy of choices when it comes to choosing a college. His current plan is to attend UIC as he was accepted to their GPPA medical scholars program, which provided he maintains a high GPA and scores well on the MCAT, earns him admission to the prestigious UIC medical school. Vivek's passion for medicine was developed by the compassion and teamwork shown by a group of doctors that took care of his grandfather. "Vivek was around 12 when his grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and being a witness to his grandfather's battle with this neurodegenerative condition sparked Vivek's interest in neuroscience," says Sandhya. Vivek says, "What inspired me was watching the doctor's teamwork and camaraderie and their ability to set aside their personal opinion to do what was best for my grandfather," says Vivek. Laura Wachowski, who taught Vivek in Medical Interventions class last year, was able to help cultivate Vivek's passion for medicine with knowledge and believes Vivek is more than up to the task of succeeding in medical school. "Vivek's willingness to engage in conversation and offer his insights is one of his strengths," says Laura. She goes on to add, "He is also willing to struggle with new concepts and accepts that, with practice, he will improve. There is no question that Vivek has the intelligence to succeed in pediatric neuroscience, but also his experience teaching younger people the violin has given him the compassion to help, which will be essential to his pursuit." Not only will Vivek be working towards medical school, but he will also continue his career in music at UIC this fall. With so much on the horizon, Vivek is careful not to get too far ahead of himself, instead of focusing on what is best for his team and himself. As a senior who has taken advantage of the classes, clubs, and sports offered at OE, he offers the following advice, saying, "Never be shy to reach out because there are so many opportunities here at East to make friends and feel like you belong."