Mation of Jake Gauci! (7)

Salesians are always at the forefront of youth development. What are your experiences in these regards? Are there more activities on a regular basis apart from the summer Camps? What is your role and what does it entail?

I am lucky to say that I completed my Secondary education at Savio College. My school has taught me many things, not just academically but also life lessons that have allowed me to grow as a person. At Savio College I was provided with necessary skills to face my life journey confidently. Needless to say I was sad when my experience as a student was over, but luckily I started a different involvement at Savio College as a Salesian Animator. I’ve had the pleasure to meet and work with many amazing people. We organize activities such as Hbieb Domenico Savio meetings, live-ins and the Summer Camps for children. These activities are filled with fun and games in the Salesian spirit, helping children and youths grow while having fun and learning in a loving and caring environment. Such experiences gave me some valuable life lessons. I’ve learnt how to be a good leader. When and how to take the necessary action and adapt to given circumstances. How to overcome differences. How to work in a team and many more. All of which I nowadays use in both Athletics and my personal life.

Jake, you started athletics at the age of 13. Since then, I don‘t recall any absences from training except for some injuries where you had to stop for a while in order to do rehab. You did O levels and you fared well. You are now sitting for a course in Marine Engineering at MCAST. How is it going? I know that MCast is walking distance from home so you avoid wasting time and energy in catching buses. Are you coping well with proper time management vis-a-vis school, exams and training. There is an abysmal difference between Savio College and MCast. One is very small and the students are visible; MCast is on a different level. Was it difficult for you to swap from a spoon-fed school to one with less individual attention? What do you miss most from Savio and what are you gaining more from MCast?

Currently I’m about to start the second year of my course in Marine Engineering at MCast. I’ve never been one to say that I put my life on hold to prepare for my O levels as I always kept the right balance between school and sports. Some people might think that it’s difficult to study, train and socialize at the same time. In my case, the training was my break after a tough day at school and more time spent studying at home. I would go to the track and put all my pent up tension and frustration into my sessions. The trick for me was always being productive with the time available. As you correctly said, Savio College and MCast are two completely different worlds. From a school where the student is central and provided with a holistic education to another which is more oriented towards giving you the skills and experiences required to achieve the career you aspire for. I have to say I enjoyed both experiences so far together with their challenges. At first the freedom and independence given at post-secondary schools can shock you, but as you go along you get used to it making it a pleasurable experience. Both schools have and are preparing me for the future and for this I am very grateful.

Jake, you have now added loads of races to your CV and even your races abroad have significantly increased. You have witnessed on your own skin the difference between the local timings compared to our foreign counterparts. The longer the distance, the greater the discrepancy. Unfortunately, it has always been like this. What are the differences you experience abroad from here? What are your feelings when competing abroad and representing Malta? What do you think can be ameliorated in local athletics? You run the 800m, 1500m, 3000m and 5000m races, practically middle distance to long distance running. What are your ambitions in these races which so far you have been improving from time to time? Which race is most at heart and why? Tell us about your PB s and the immediate feelings post a new PB?

I count myself lucky to have been able to race against the best local athletes as well as some of the best talent in the world. Sadly it’s true, we as a country are still a long way from being able to compete and achieve results internationally and with the world’s biggest stars. However I trust that in time, especially considering some of the upcoming talent, with good investment and sacrifice there will be opportunities to grow and improve the athletics’ scene here in Malta. Competing abroad and representing one’s country is always an honour and I have been privileged to have experienced it quite a few times. Every time I compete abroad I try not to put undue pressure on myself but nonetheless do my very best. Aware that my competition is on a higher level encourages me more to push myself and keep up with them. I try to be confident, calm and enjoy the experience. I started out running the 1500m and 3000m but now as I have grown older I am eligible to compete in the road races. I sometimes run the 5000m as an enjoyable way to challenge myself. In fact when I ran my personal best in the 5000m, at 17:15, I was very surprised as I wasn’t really prepared for it and I ran very comfortably. I just ran with a smile on my face and enjoyed the race. I was surprised when I looked at my watch and saw the time, it gave me a sense of triumph and hunger for more at the same time. This year I tried to focus more on the 1500m and 800m to try and test my speed, this proved to be a good decision as I have performed beyond my expectations for this year. I have improved considerably, even more than what I had imagined. In a single year I managed to lower my personal bests by 5 seconds in the 800m to 2:03 and 17 seconds in the 1500m to 4:19. Every year there isn’t a specific goal in mind apart from improving my personal bests, however my dream and long term goal is to be able to run a sub 2 minute 800m as well as a sub 4 minute 1500m. The 800m race holds a special place in my heart, the combination of speed and endurance make it one of the hardest races out there. Not to mention that it is my role model, Matthew Crocker’s, main race. My goal before any race is to go for a new personal best. Once achieved this gives you the most rewarding feelings, knowing that all your hard work and sacrifices were all worthwhile and are finally showing results.

Jake, you are a smart student and an outstanding athlete. I am asking for an advice since I deem fit that you are proved and tested. What message would you like to convey to those students-athletes who, this year will be sitting for their O levels and suggest if possible the proper or idyllic way to cope with both without neglecting neither studies nor athletics?

Research indicates that sports can help you perform better academically. It isn’t easy, but anyone can manage to keep up with their studies and sport. Time management is very important. Know your goals and prioritize wisely. Plan ahead and eliminate distractions. Social media and your smartphone can be your most sneaky time waster, so be careful! It involves a lot of dedication and love for the sport too. My advice would be to be committed to both schooling and sports equally. With some sacrifices and hard work even though it may seem demanding and hard, at the end of the day you won’t be disappointed especially with your results. If I did it you can do it too!