Nadim Shaun: Soccer Star Selfless On The Pitch And With His Time
In the following report, NY1 introduces us to the Health Plus/NY1 Scholar Athlete of the Week.
MARCH 11TH, 2005

Despite Adlai Stevenson High School's reputation as one of the cities most dangerous schools, there is still some good going on behind its walls. For senior Nadim Shaun, the only thing he's concerned about is getting through the day without falling asleep.

“I had to come in early, about 7:30 a.m., then I would leave around 3:00, then I would have track practice and I wouldn't go home until around 6:00,” he says. “So those years, I don't know how I did it, but I'm proud of it.”

“Before I had ever taught him I heard other teachers talking about him,” says Advanced Placement calculus teacher Adam Wagner.

Wagner says that Nadim, though not tall in stature, is head and shoulders above his other students when it comes to math.

“As an AP, I give very challenging tests hoping to replicate the exam. The typical student might get 60’s on the test and he's consistently getting 90’s,” says the teacher.

At the ring of a bell, Nadim can be found down the hall in the school's gym. But his target here is not the soccer goal. In fact, he may be the only student athlete commended by his coach for not making any goals.

“Whereas most of my players want to get all the glory and score all the goals, Nadim was a forward who willingly agreed to go back and play defense as a junior,” says Rick Ouimet, and English teacher and the school’s soccer coach. “And because he went back we actually went to the playoffs two years in a row.”

Nadim's family moved to the United States six years ago from Bangladesh. When it comes to his talents, though, he doesn't stray far from his family's roots.

“My grandfather was a national soccer player back home. It's in the blood, it's in the family,” he says. “I love soccer. It's there with me from my family until now. It's in my blood, basically.”

His role as a defender on the team may stop him from making soccer goals, but it does not stop him from making career goals that rival those of a college graduate.

“I really do have a very vast plan for the next 10 to 15 years,” he says. “I hope to accomplish a very good position in a pharmaceutical company, and maybe someday make my own company.”

As a peer tutor, Nadim has earned the nickname the "Indian Einstein." Not exactly accurate, considering he is Bangladeshi, but soccer co-captain Emmanuel Danso says Nadim's book smarts and quick feet make him a friend - and teammate - worth having.

“He does help me with my physics homework when I don't understand something,” says Danso. “He's just a great friend to have. You can call him, you can come over in a second and he'll just help you out. I'm glad I know him, you know? He's a good friend.”

His teachers and coaches see his love for soccer as a sign of broader lessons learned.

“He's shown students that if you make sacrifices for the team, you might not score a goal now, today, but down the line you might get recognized,” says Ouimet.

It’s recognition that Adlai Stevenson High School could certainly use.

And so for this, Nadim Shaun is our Health Plus/NY1 Scholar Athlete of the Week.

The Health Plus/New York 1 Scholar Athlete program celebrates student athletes who successfully combine academics with athletics, and also find time for community service. The program is a joint effort between the New York City Department of Education and Time Warner's 21st Century Scholars program, and is open to any senior attending a New York City public high school. Selected students receive a $2,000 scholarship to the school they choose to attend in the fall.

Originally published March 11, 2005.
Copyright 2004 NY1 News, reprinted with permission.