During the fall, you could find Owen Wohlfert watching film and preparing for the next football game, while also studying for important upcoming tests. Wohlfert is both an incredibly gifted student and a leader throughout the school, whether that be through the football team or just a smiling face in the halls. After high school, Wohlfert will be attending the University of Notre Dame to pursue Biomedical Engineering. His decision to go to Notre Dame was not through family history, but for many other reasons.
“I love the environment there. You know, people are accepted there as well-rounded students. I think I, not in any pretentious or prideful way, but I think I can fit in there very well, and I love the faith aspect of it as well. We just toured there once and it felt great,” Owen Wohlfert said.
While Notre Dame is still his number one choice, he also got accepted into Cornell University, an Ivy League school and one of the best in the country. To go to such prestigious universities, you have to thoroughly prepare in high school beforehand.
“Any leadership opportunity noted on his applications was what those universities gravitated towards. It wasn’t so much his academics. His test scores were high. He took his SAT 4 times, and he studied a lot. In the summer, he never had a job, but he was doing internships on microplastics and research and taking Michigan Virtual classes. His summers were also very academic-focused,” his mother, Jennifer Wohlfert said.
Wohlfert was a phenomenal captain and football player. He led the team during his senior season by showing what it means to be a Titan.
“Owen has a very high character about himself. He always does the right thing. He’s a guy that I could always count on. He was consistently somebody who was at everything, did things the right way, had high academics, very high academics, and was just a leader amongst the group around him,” head football coach James Wagner said.
Being the team captain and homecoming king can bring many pressures and expectations. It can also be overwhelming and stressful, especially when trying to manage both academics and athletics. However, O. Wohlfert found his groove and was able to handle it all.
“Just time management. It cost some late nights, some nights learning to not procrastinate at times, but time management was the biggest thing for me. I’d say one of the biggest pressures is always trying to keep a smile. In football, whether we’re losing or whether I’m hurting or whatever, I think one of those pressures is just trying to keep a smile. I think just shining a light on being happy in that moment is a big thing,” O. Wohlfert said.
When practice goes late on some nights, or there’s a long bus ride home, he would always make sure to get his work done. That kind of dedication isn’t learned, you’re born with it.
“He had so much on his plate all the time, but he was able to prioritize his academics and have one of the highest GPAs and SAT scores leaving the school. But he was also able to play multiple sports. So, yeah, just a guy that was able to do things the right way consistently,” Wagner said.
And while he might be in the spotlight, being team captain and homecoming king, he found a way to stay grounded and not let it get to him.
“He’s humble. At home, he’s a kid who smiles just like he smiles at school. He is people-smart, aware of his surroundings and in tune with the emotions of our family. Caring, observing, reaching out to us. He had no idea he was going to be on the homecoming court until the day of. So that humbleness is a super important piece of who he is,” J. Wohlfert said.
And while he can’t go back in time and experience it all again, he reflects on his experience at West in a positive way.
“I’d probably say I’ll miss all the people around me the most. I know a lot of people. So I think going through the halls and smiling at people and seeing people that I know. Just having a community, a large community around me that I’ve known for years and years, is really amazing. So I think I’ll definitely miss that,” O. Wohlfert said.
But his family and loved ones will probably miss him the most, and going away will be hard for all of them, especially when he’s going out of state.
“He’s always saying, ‘How are you doing mom?’ Or he’s always touching base, and that’s going to be hard not to have. He’s so ready, but it’s gonna be hard. It’ll be great, I’m so excited for him,” J. Wohlfert said.
While Notre Dame awaits, he will continue to be a smiling face in the halls, up until he walks the stage and receives his diploma.
“I’d say take it slow, because it goes by fast. And the staff are amazing here, right? And so trying… try new things. You have so many options at West. It’s so great. Like, you’ve got robotics all the way to journalism, to so many things. I mean, those are my words. But for anyone, I’d say try new things. West has a lot of opportunities,” O. Wohlfert said.
