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Glenwood’s do-it-all Whiting headed to Humboldt State

Jeff Caspersen
Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado
Post Independent File PhotoRecent Glenwood Springs High School graduate Jason Whiting had a busy career as a Demon that included playing baseball, golf, basketball and soccer. Whiting will be attending Humboldt State University in California next year.
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GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado ” Long nights were a staple of Jason Whiting’s senior year.

After all, playing four sports and taking four advanced placement courses makes for wildly busy days.

The Glenwood Springs High Schooler, who graduated on May 24, played golf and soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter and then baseball in the spring, interspersing life as a high school athlete with a heavy academic regimen that included not only a punishing course-load but participation in Delta Epsilon Chi (DECA), Future Business Leaders of America and National Honors Society.



“There were a lot of late nights,” Whiting said. “You do your practices when you need to and then, afterwards, you work on school.”

Yet Whiting somehow found a way to master the ever-delicate balancing act, churning out as solid of academic numbers as one could hope for.



“The unique thing about Jason is he excelled in all areas,” Glenwood Springs baseball coach Eric Nieslanik said. “Most importantly, he was a very good student. He was a vital part of the baseball program, one of those senior leaders.”

Turns out all that hard work paid off for Whiting, who is heading to Humboldt State University in Arcata, Calif., in the fall. He’ll double major in fisheries biology and economics and may try out for the baseball team at the coastal school.

A lover of the outdoors, Whiting made the most of his Roaring Fork Valley surroundings growing up. Thus, it’s no surprise his choice of majors.

“I’ve just grown up kind of like fishing, doing all that stuff,” he said. “It just kind of came naturally that I want to stay around that.”

So what kind of career opportunities await a fisheries biology major?

“Shoot, I could do a lot of things,” Whiting explained. “First of all, I could work with the Department of Natural Resources, or for the Division of Wildlife doing surveying, managing waters. Or I could work for a private company where they ask me to do assignments for them.”

Jason’s dad and golf coach, Bryan, remembers his son taking to fishing at an early age.

“The first fish he ever caught we were in Veltus Park,” the elder Whiting recalled. “His grandpa was sitting on a lawn chair and (Jason) was 3 or 4 years old. We gave him an old pole and put a line and fly on it just to keep him happy. All of a sudden, he was pulling a fish out of the water.”

Jason should be able to sustain his love affair with the outdoors at the northern California university, which offers a nice breadth of recreational opportunities within driving distance.

Between his double major and his affinity for the outdoors, don’t expect Whiting to abandon his hyperactive ways once he gets to college. It’s just his nature.

Said Whiting: “I just always like to be doing stuff.”


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