Announcement
2011 Senior Male Athlete of the Year: Wesley Laytham
On Friday, June 3, 2011, Northside Head Track & Field Coach Jon Gordon received a fantastic email from the Northside administration informing him that the winner of the 2011 Senior Male Athlete of the Year Award was Wesley Laytham. Laytham will be honored at Navy Pier at the Senior Awards luncheon at noon, on Wednesday, June 8, 2011 on the cruise ship, the Spirit of Chicago.
There are over 23 sports at Northside College Prep. The Senior Male Athlete award is given annually at Graduation to the best Athlete in the Senior Class. It is the highest honor an athlete can receive at graduation.
For only the third time in Northside history, a member of the Northside Track Team won the award, Senior Captain Wesley Laytham.
Wesley Laytham is one of the greatest athletes to ever wear the uniform. In 2010, Wesley Laytham qualified for the IHSA State Track & Field Championships in the 800m run. In 2011, Wesley Laytham ran faster, by breaking the school record in the 800m run with a 1:57.49. In 2011, Wesley Laytham also scored the most points (114) by a Senior on the entire Track & Field Team. Wesley Laytham also holds SEVEN schools records, the most by any athlete in Northside history. Wesley Laytham has also earned EIGHT Varsity letters at Northside (4 in Cross Country, 4 in Track).
Wesley Laytham has the strength of a thrower, the speed of a sprinter, and the endurance of a distance runner. He has won multiple MVP awards in Track & Field. Wesley Laytham holds the school record in the 800m run, 4x100m Relay, 4x400 Relay, 4x800m Relay, Sprint Medley Relay, Distance Medley Relay, and 4x1600m Relay. The 800m run is named after him, at the Mustangs home meet, the Eric Nelson Track & Field Classic. Laytham is also on the All Time list in the weight room for Pull-ups, Squats, and Bench Press.
Wesley scored more points than 47 Teams in the 2011 Outdoor Chicago Public League Track & Field Championships! Wesley Laytham's picture is also on permanent display in the Northside Trophy case.
Laytham is also a great Captain, leader, and has personally mentored many athletes on the Northside Track and Cross Country Teams, including Pat Duffy, and Ezra Edgerton.
In Cross Country, Wesley Laytham helped the Mustangs to their first ever IHSA Regional Title in any Mens sport in 2008. Laytham also helped the Mustangs to their first ever Chicago Public League Title in 2009. In his Senior year, he was co-winner of the MVP Award, and qualified for the IHSA Sectional Championships for the fourth consectutive year.
Wesley Laytham also has one of the highest GPA (5.06) out of 35,000 Chicago Public School student-athletes. In addition to School, Cross Country, and Track, Laytham also worked long hours every week at Best Buy.
Laytham always put the TEAM first, and was always willing to do anything to make the TEAM better, including running in the 4x100m Relay. Wesley Laytham also pushed his Teammates in all workouts, even if he was leading the workout, to make the TEAM better. Wesley Laytham is a very special individual.
Wesley Laytham will be attending, and running for NCAA Division I Davidson College. Among other honors, Davidson College had the Southern Conference 800m Champion last year. Laytham is part of a very special Senior Class, that includes collegiate runners, Charlie Mesimore (Cornell), Erik Zuehlke (Northwestern), Luis Gaytan (Denison), and Nina Coomes (University of Chicago). Northside is looking forward to following all of the above athletes in college next year.
At the end of every Track meet, Wesley Laytham leads the Team huddle, and honors each member of the Team. Wesley Laytham is one of the greatest leaders, athletes, and individuals in the history of Northside College Prep.
