When Jester Weah was a standout junior basketball player at Madison Memorial, he and a couple teammates allowed Isthmus to shoot video of their annual trip to get intricate designs shaved in their hair for the state basketball tournament. Despite getting the most elaborate haircut, Weah was overshadowed in the piece by his more loquacious teammates. "Jester is a man of few words," Memorial basketball coach Steve Collins told me later.
This year, Weah emerged as a bona fide star. He signed a letter of intent to play football at the University of Pittsburgh, turned in excellent performances on the football field and basketball court, and was named Sportsman of the Year by the Madison Sports Hall of Fame Club. This spring, he decided to give track a shot, having never competed for a full season before. He ended up winning state titles in the 100- and 200-meter races at last weekend's WIAA state high school track meet.
"I like meeting new people," he told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review when asked what prompted him to take up the sport in his senior year.
As much fun as it's been following Weah's athletic exploits, I have also enjoyed reading his Twitter feed (@J_Weah). Unlike many of his peers who prefer posturing, Weah has distinguished himself with a humble and humorous presence. "I'm tryna get this pedicure, but ain't got no one to go with... Ahhh the struggle," he wrote earlier this month, followed by a photo of his enormous feet emerging from soapy water.
Sports writers are supposed to be objective and unbiased, but Jester Weah has been fun to follow over the last few years, and I'll be rooting for him as he heads to Pittsburgh following his graduation from Memorial this month.
