Airedale Prep Focus

Busy schedule, not a problem For Airedales’ Drake Ciampoli

By Kevin Taylor

Alma Schools

Drake Ciampoli admits that watching football on television is a lot different from actually playing it.

But here he is, wearing a No. 11 jersey and willing to help his team. The three-sport athlete will begin his senior year of high school in two months, eager to be the best Airedale he can.

“I feel like sports have had an effect on me,” Ciampoli said. “It makes you more responsible, hard-working, and determined. You get held to a higher standard; you have to watch what you do (off the field/court), because people are watching you.

“You want to set a good example.”

Ciampoli hadn’t played football since intermediate school. He hadn’t ever danced, either, until signing up for that in middle school.

But here he is, moving to the beat of a Michael Jackson tune recorded nearly 25 years before he was born.

Ciampoli used his defensive quickness and leadership skills to earn a starting position with the Airedales’ basketball team last year. He averaged 2.9 points per game and helped trigger an offense that set a school record by scoring 80 or more points eight times.

“I learned that, not being one of the big stars of the school and scoring a bunch, doing the little things are still super important,” Ciampoli said. “Even though my name might not be called as much (over the Public Address System), I’m doing little things to help.

“When you think of a good basketball player, you think that scoring 20 (points) is important, but you still have to do the little things like hustle and rebound.”

Last season, the Airedales were picked to finish near the bottom of the 5A-West standings (seventh). But thanks to the scoring of newcomer Shep Newcomb, Alma went 12-2 in the league and clinched a playoff berth for the third straight season.

“Last year, we were expected to be really bad,” Ciampoli said. “Everybody (coaches) put us at the bottom, and then we came back and were second in the conference, losing only to Farmington. A lot of people might say that was because of Shep, because he was our best player.

“But I feel like this year we have to come back even stronger, and I feel like we’ll still be ranked pretty low because we just lost our best player. We have to come back and play as a team.”

Representing his school and playing for his peers gave Ciampoli a sense of pride.

“It’s such a blessing to be able to come out here and play in front of everybody in the town and at the school,” he said. “Some people don’t get the chance to do that, so that is just a blessing, and I’m just trying to make the most of it by playing more and doing more for the school.”

Ciampoli recently signed up for football, a sport he hadn’t played since the fifth grade.

“It’s been good, (but) I just don’t know that much about it since I haven’t played in a long time,” he said. “I don’t really have the common sense that normal football players have. It’s a learning experience, but it’s a lot of fun.”

The same could be said about dance. Which, learning routines notwithstanding, has broadened Ciampoli’s look outside the box.

“It’s actually helped a lot,” he said. “There are a lot more practices, and you have to know your steps. I feel like it’s helped me be more responsible and be a better person overall.

“It hasn’t really helped me athletically, but it’s helped me meet new people and realize how much people are different. Being on a team with girls is way different from what you would think. It helps me realize a lot of people are different.”

DRAKE’S STATS

Height: 6 feet

Birthday: Jan. 4, 2009

Shares Birthday With: Derrick Henry (NFL) and Victor Wembanyama (NBA)

Fun Fact: Member of the Alma Dance Team

Favorite Color: Orange

Favorite Athlete: LeBron James

Favorite Team: Lakers

Favorite Food: Seafood

Go-To-Music: Michael Jackson

Favorite Teacher: Mrs.(Sarah) Putman

Favorite Teammate: Luke Stogsdill

Quotable: “She’s everything. We’ve been through a bunch together. She was really struggling when we were younger, but she’s done really well. She’s really proud of me.”

— Drake Ciampoli on his mom, Nickole-Mings-Shelton