From playing every sport as possible when he was little to becoming a notorious three-sport athglete here at Frederick, Ian Buffingtons journey has been the ride of his life. Ian started football in the 3rd grade, basketball in the 1st grade, and track in the 6th grade. Ian originally started playing sports where he was born, in Parachute, Colorado, which is about 2 hours away from Grand Junction. But then, when he was 10 years old, he moved to Frederick, Colorado, where he would live out his middle school and high school years.
Ian has two older brothers who are 4 and 5 years older than him, even with the age gap Ian and his brothers have always has a great relationship with each other growing up. Ian also mentioned he had a very good relationship with his mom and dad growing up, but especially with his mom because he looked up to her as a role model. After he moved from Parachute, Colorado, to Frederick, he fell in love with the sports of football and basketball, where he would meet his three best friends, Sonny Hurtado, Bobby Bedsaul, and Kemarly Davey, who would stick with him throughout middle school and high school.
Ian Buffington’s four high school years were like a roller coaster especially because of COVID during his freshman year. He felt like he got cheated out of his freshman year with both school and sports. During his freshman year of football, they only had four games because of COVID, but he ended up only playing two because of a concussion which cut the season even shorter. Ian felt like he didn’t get the true freshman year he was hoping for especially in the social aspect of a new high school and more “freedom”.
Ian’s sophomore year was better but still wasnt all that he was expecting. Luckily Ian loved his junior year of high school and said it was the “best” so far because he had a lot more freedom as an upperclassman and had the best memories from then so far.
So far, his senior year has been great, but he said there are a lot of things he must do, but they will also help him with life after high school and help him succeed in life. His favorite memory of high school was having the opportunity to experience being apart of a basketball team that went to the final four the last few years and suiting up in the Colosseum. Starting his freshman year Ian played football but after a short f cut season he didnt decide to go back until this year which he is on the varsity football team. Ian l played basketball the last three years and plans to play again this year. His third sport making him a three-sport athlete is track. Ian has done track since the 6th grade and will be joining one last time this coming season. Throughout his high school sports career, he said he has always been close with his teammates and his coaches. Especially the head basketball coach, Coach Conway, and the old head football coach, Coach Peeples, because of his brothers, which allowed him to get to really know the coaches on a different level.
Ian feels like the last two years he has gotten closer with the underclassmen to show that he is a leader on and off the field, on the court, and even in the classroom. Ian also wanted to show the underclassmen that not all seniors are just mean and don’t care and no matter the age gap anyone can be friends.
After high school, Ian plans to become a high school history teacher and be a good role model to the kids. Ian mentioned that this is how he saw that this is how his grandpa was and some of his past teachers were to him. With being such role models this has carved interest in Ian. Being a leader and someone to look up to is something that Ian strives for. Always having that positive “go get them” energy and attitude is something that you can see Ian having no matter what, and it bring such light and energy to any room that he enters.
