Athlete of the Week: Joe Shepley

49.09 seconds. That’s the time it takes senior Joe Shepley, who holds Connecticut’s 18 & Under record, to swim a 100-yard butterfly. With his skill and dexterity in the pool, Shepley has already been offered a spot to swim at Columbia University, a Division I level university. But all this success did not come without a cost—it came through hard work and dedication.Shepley began swimming when he was 10 years old. Since then, he has never stopped, always striving to improve. Exeter has played a big role in facilitating that.“[Starting prep year,] I would go to swim early in the morning two times a week,” Shepley said. “Later in the day, I would have practice.” Before most people are awake, he is in the pool. Joe takes advantage of every moment to develop his skills.Senior JB Baker, Shepley’s water polo and swimming co-captain, praised Shepley’s level of commitment.“Joe and I have been together on varsity swimming and polo since prep year,” he said. “I have looked up to Joe as a role model for four years because [of] his work ethic, modesty and integrity.”Lower David Shepley—Joe’s younger brother—commented on Joe’s unbelievable work ethic. “He is without a doubt the most dedicated member of the team, always pushing himself in sets, attending the optional morning practices and staying positive no matter what.”This type of work ethic developed him into the amazing swimmer he is. Swimming and water polo coach Don Mills, who is also Shepley’s dorm head in Wentworth Hall, has spent an abundance of time with Shepley and knows him both in and out of the pool.“Joe is a very talented athlete. One of the best swimmers we have had at Exeter,” Mills said. “Joe’s character and integrity far surpass his swimming ability.”These qualities have made him an amazing leader for the team.“When morale runs low, Joe works hard to motivate the team to find inspiration in working hard, which brings us all closer,” David said.His leadership and hard work have certainly not gone unnoticed. He has earned himself the titles of varisty water polo captain and varsity swimming captain through his four years of immense dedication.Lower Graham Hazlett, Shepley’s water polo and swimming teammate added, “Joe is a great leader for both swimming and water polo.”Shepley demonstrates his leadership not only in the pool, but also in the dorm. His leadership on the team extends past the pool deck.“Joe is a responsible, mature and friendly proctor as well,” David said.While extremely focused on his academics and training, Joe makes sure no one is treated unfairly in the dorm. Coach Mills spoke on Joe’s leadership.“He’s a great leader by example both in the pool and dorm.”Shepley proctors the third floor of Wentworth Hall, a place where things can get very loud very quickly.“In the dorm, even though our floor can get rowdy, he is able to stop it when it gets bad, and tell us all to pitch in to keep the floor more calm,” Hazlett said.With his success in the pool and the dorm, one may think this is enough for one person. But what many do not know is that Shepley has a musical side as well.“I really enjoy composing music for piano as a hobby,” Shepley said. “Many people don’t know this about me.”Joe really wanted to perform piano at the talent show this past month, but wasn’t able to due to swimming. ”Over break I composed a piano piece and it was something that I enjoyed playing and listening to, so I was hoping to play it in the talent show to show another side of me,” he said. ”Unfortunately, and I guess ironically, I was unable to attend the talent show because of a swim meet at Choate that took up the whole day.”Even with all of these achievements and talents, Shepley manages to stay humble about them. David said, “While he has much to brag about, Joe has always displayed humility and concern about everyone, he said. Joe's humble and focused personality is respected by everyone wherever he goes.”Mills added, ”Joe is one of the humblest and hardest working students or athletes that I have had the fortune to coach. This is a great quality for an athlete to have, as some can get caught up in the glory of being the best. But Joe has not let it go to his head. He remains humble and inspires younger athletes to be the best they can be by leading by example.”Adding to these amazing traits, Joe is also extremely kind hearted and loves to help others.Milton Syed, a four year senior in Wentworth Hall appreciates Joe’s kindness. ”Joe's a very kind-hearted guy who puts the needs of others before his own needs,” Syed said. “He's cares about other people and works hard to be friends with everybody.”David added, ”If I'm ever struggling with academics or having a bad attitude about sports or other aspects of life, Joe has been fully invested in keeping me from straying off the path and encouraging me not to give up.” Joe has been a kind brother to David, and has made a great and lasting impression.His kindness does not only extend to Exonians. Every Sunday, Shepley gives swimming lessons to a developmentally disabled kid during a club he co-heads called Best Buddies, a community service club where Exonians are paired with children, teens and even adults who are developmentally disabled. “It doesn’t really feel like work, and its fun teaching him,” he said. ”He’s an amazing friend.”Shepley has accomplished and demonstrated numerous things during his four years at Exeter. But when one asks Joe what he’s most proud of, there is only one answer that one would receive. ”I’m proud of many things, but everything I achieve is because of God,” he said. “So I guess I feel more blessed than proud.” His dedication can not only be seen in the pool, and through his community service endeavors, but also through his relationship to God and his dedication, as a steward, to the church.Through all of Joe’s actions at Exeter, one can see the hard work he has put in throughout the years. He will be missed next year when he continues his career at Columbia.