SPRING HILL, Fla. - Max O’Rourke is a planner.

When you juggle the workload this Springstead High senior does, a good game-plan is a must. Max is rarely blindsided.

Until recently when he was surrounded by his teammates. Max discovered he was Hernando County’s Spectrum News Scholar Athlete winner.

"We went to our huddle for basketball. We usually shoot around, run over plays and stuff like that and my coach goes so the real reason we’re here is because Max O’Rourke just won a scholarship," Max said. "I was like, oh, this is starting to make a little more sense now."

This International Baccalaureate student and three-sport athlete packs a lot into the high school experience. What inspires him to succeed? Look no further than his parents, both educators.

"It’s a big credit to them because they raised me right to do things well in the classroom, as well as on the field," he said.

Springstead’s starting quarterback helped lead the Eagles to a 9-2 record this past season. He then made the seamless transition to the basketball court. He’ll round out his senior year on the baseball diamond satisfying his passion for sports.

"I’ve always been around it my whole life and I figured if I have these opportunities at school, why not take advantage of them, you know," Max said. "So, it’s been a blast."

There’s a common thread throughout Max’s high school tenure. And it’s the reason why he succeeds on and off the playing fields.

"It’s hard to maintain these grades and play three sports without being a very competitive person," he said. "Sometimes, I almost feel like I’m competitive to a fault. I just love the competition."

Just like the action on a basketball court, Max’s four years at Springstead have flown by. He’ll have some amazing memories to take with him when he graduates.

"I’ve learned a lot," Max said. "I’ve learned a lot about myself and it’s a credit to my teammates and my friends cause, I mean, it’s the experiences I have with my teammates and my friends that I learned more about who I am as a person.

"It’s not about me, it’s about the things that I’m able to take away from these experiences and all these people that have helped me along the way."