Sophomore Oscar Sloan runs out of the tunnel onto the field, preparing to make his debut as the starting varsity quarterback against Warren Central. The screams of the crowd fuel his nervousness and excitement, and as he runs out, he knows this game is going to set the tone for the rest of the season. With the clock winding down, the feeling sets in that this moment is bigger than anything he has faced before in his career.
“I have always loved football,” Sloan said. “As soon as I could walk, I wore a Peyton Manning jersey every day until the numbers came off of it. And then when football games would be on TV, I would have an entire uniform and helmet on and re-enact every play. So I guess, I have always been into football, but my first year of organized football was Kindergarten flag football.”
Running every play he saw from the professionals was just the beginning of his love for football. Over time his love for the game grew, and showed him new opportunities that brought him across the country.
“I grew up in Carmel and went to Carmel schools and always played in their youth program. After grade school, I attended St. Luke and played there for a couple years and then I went to IMG [Academy] for 8th grade,” Sloan said. “It really wasn’t until third grade that my mom wanted to move me to quarterback. After my first quarterback training, even though I wasn’t that good, I knew then I wanted to be a quarterback.”
However, Sloan wasn’t always a quarterback – throughout elementary and middle school, he played other positions in order to learn about the different roles and aspects of the game. Through a series of trials and errors, Sloan discovered his passion for the game lay in the quarterback position. This led to him venturing far from home to play at IMG academy, one of the most renowned athletic academies in the nation.
“I was fortunate to go to IMG Academy in Florida for 8th grade, and in Florida you can play varsity football in 8th grade so I didn’t have too many challenges with the level of play [when coming to Center Grove],” Sloan said. “But I did need to learn an entirely new offense and that took some time, but the coaches and players supported me along the way to help me get there as fast as possible.”
After the practice and training he went through at those schools, Sloan transferred to Center Grove to take his first snap as the captain of the team. He played as the starting quarterback for JV last year and has completed over 81% of his passes this season.
“Taking my first snap as starting QB in a varsity game is something I will never forget,” Sloan said. “My favorite was probably beating Cathedral JV last year. They talked a lot of trash before that game and we came out and really played as a unit and put it on them. Going to semi-state last year was also an incredible experience as well and let me know how high of a bar there is for excellence with football at Center Grove.”
Sloan had to wait for his varsity position under the tutelage of Gabe McWilliams, who made his first varsity start his senior year. McWilliams became a mentor for him, and led him through many obstacles. The mentor-mentee relationship established between Sloan and McWilliams created a friendship for years to come.
“Gabe was awesome and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to mentor me,” Sloan said. “He taught me the offense, showed me the Center Grove way, and competed with me every day to make me better. We also became pretty good friends throughout the season and stayed in touch.”
But this season, the leadership falls on Sloan.
“The biggest struggle I have had is reminding myself just to go out there and have fun. At times it was overwhelming in the offseason, but Coach Moore, Coach Siderewicz, and my teammates have been super supportive to get me ready. I just want to make sure I represent Center Grove well and carry on our winning tradition,” Sloan said.
Heading into tonight’s game at Lawrence Central, Sloan leads a revamped team that looks different than it did in its first game. With injuries sidelining a starting runningback, a starting receiver and a starting defensive player, the Trojans have been forced to adjust.
“We are 4-0 and I feel like we are representing what CG football is. We are facing some adversity with injuries and how we face that will determine our success for the rest of the season,” Sloan said. “The team is working hard to get back from the loss against Brownsburg last year. There is no secret formula other than putting in the work on the field and in the film room to make sure we put ourselves in a position to win every game.”
Winning a state championship is the dream of every high school athlete in the country, and Sloan and his teammates are determined to bring one home for themselves and Center Grove. To Sloan the game of football means more than just winning.
“I love this game and I am so fortunate to be surrounded by coaches and teammates that feel the same way I do and I am glad they are on this journey with me. My ultimate goal is to be the best quarterback ever and I know that is a big goal but no matter what my career will be tied to football,” Sloan said. “Every kid in our locker room dreams about winning a state championship for Center Grove. If I could help us get another title, I can’t describe how meaningful that would be.”
