Pushing The Limits and Shooting For Success: The Indian Springs Athletics Feature of Cason Swaid

Senior shooting guard, Cason Swaid, has always been a hard worker. Even before he graced our beautiful Indian Springs campus, he was fighting to work his way up to the top. In addition to his incredible work ethic, Swaid is the ultimate, “3 and D” player, meaning he is a great ‘3-point’ shooter, can play solid defense, and is capable of ‘getting inside the paint’ and ‘driving to the basket’.

 His commitment to bettering himself and the Indian Springs Men’s Varsity Basketball team is unmatched, and he is always looking to make the necessary sacrifices to ensure success. Swaid is an aggressive, yet selfless guard; however, these characteristics complement the impressive level of work ethic that he has. 

“My work ethic is my best quality. I’ll never tell someone to do something that I won’t do myself,” Swaid said. “My parents both worked super hard to be where they are now, and I want to follow in their footsteps and uphold their name. I try to sacrifice time now in order to contribute to a future for which I am excited.”

When asked about his close friend, Richard Monk ‘23, current Commissioner of Citizenship and Men’s Varsity Tennis captain, remarked, “Cason is one of the most hardworking people I have ever met. On and off the court, he strives for perfection every day. He is an extremely important part of the Springs community, and his dedication to the people around him exemplifies his selflessness and care towards others.”

Swaid has a bubbling personality and is one of the friendliest faces on the Indian Springs campus. You can always find him smiling, cracking a joke, or laughing for one reason or another, but at the end of the day, he is a student that knows what he wants. When asked about his goals for the end of the season, Swaid stated to “win the state championship.”

When asked about Swaid, William Giattina ‘24, former Commissioner of Recreation, expressed “Cason is legitimately the hardest working person I have ever met. His ability to manage being the perfect student while also being a varsity basketball starter and a leader of the team is a talent people could only dream of having. Cason is the nicest person anyone could meet, always going out of his way to make someone’s day and make sure anybody is comfortable. Having the pleasure to be his teammate is really an honor because he makes me a better player and an even better person. “

When asked to give some words or phrases to describe himself, Swaid stated “I could call myself whatever I want, but what matters most is if these descriptions are true.” He encouraged his interviewer to “ask others what words they would use to describe [him].” In this sense, Swaid does not opt to give a direct description of who he is, but rather who he strives to be: “compassionate, patient, humble, and hardworking”, all of which are qualities that are crucial in the competitive Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) atmosphere and on the AHSAA (Alabama High School Athletics Association) court of Indian Springs.

Swaid is an exceptional student and credits his ability to “balance time commitment to sport as well as school” and “practice important values, such as dedication and spending time wisely” to his time as a student-athlete at Indian Springs. He is known to spend time in the Slaughter Reading Room studying AP Biology, and AP Calculus, or tutoring another student rather than eating lunch. 

Swaid also has involved himself at Springs as a former class representative, the current head of Christianity Club, and a student to Dr. Jung, from whom he has “learned so much from.” In addition to his love for basketball and extracurricular activities within Springs, Swaid enjoys a vast array of other sports ranging from golf all the way to football. Swaid maintains that despite these achievements, he is “most proud of [his] efforts to spread and demonstrate love to others.”

Swaid transferred from Vestavia Hills High School to Indian Springs in the 10th grade but started playing high-level basketball a year before in ninth grade. At the time, he “was not allowed to play much [due to] the pandemic”, but fortunately, he was eventually able to return to one of his passions once he arrived at Springs. 

The Indian Springs Men’s Varsity Basketball team has been itching for a new title. Last season, they battled against Holt High School in the sub-regional round of the AHSAA Class 4A postseason but did not advance so this goal for his final season could not be any more palpable. Looking forward to the upcoming season, Cason stated his goal is to “win the state championship.” 

 It is no secret that Swaid has been putting in the work during both the preseason and the offseason. Occasionally, you can find him improving his skills in the gym before school or after school which has become a regular occurrence given Swaid’s momentum from coming out of

 J Smith International (JSI), an elite Birmingham-based, Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) fall basketball league. Swaid said that his “work ethic has driven [him] to practice as vigorously and often as possible.” It is clear that his behavior makes him not only a stellar student but also a great teammate and pillar on the Indian Springs Men’s Varsity Basketball team. 

Swaid’s hard work does not go unnoticed. When asked about Swaid, athletic trainer and strength and conditioning specialist, Brad Skiff, MS, ATC, said, “There is no doubt Cason Swaid is a hard worker. He is in the gym before school starts and stays late to shoot and work on ball-handling drills after volleyball practices. Cason understands that you don't just wake up and magically become better.  A great word to describe Cason is "intentional". He is intentional in what he does: he puts in the time, the sweat, and the effort to make himself better. I can't wait to see the results of his hard work this upcoming season.”

Cason’s family mirrors his athletic ability. His older brother, Christian ‘22, competed alongside him for the Indian Springs golf team. Additionally, Swaid’s mother is a six-time world champion Jet Ski racer and the “winningest female in the history of the sport” and holds the Women’s Slalom world record while being a member of the International Personal Watercraft Hall of Fame. His father played soccer in his youth and currently owns a neurosurgical private practice in Vestavia. Swaid continues in his father’s footsteps by helping those that are in need, whether that means tutoring students or getting extra ‘reps’ with a teammate after a rough practice. 

Cason has a strong foundation in education that started with his parents who “have supported him through his basketball career and have contributed to [his] growth in the sport.” Even then, Swaid’s parents “always stress the importance of school and education over any other activity” which supports Swaid’s impenetrable discipline and work ethic on and off the basketball court. 

Swaid’s heritage is one of great significance and various students are unaware of the successes engraved into the Swaid family, whether focusing on his dad’s achievements that came after he immigrated to America from the West Bank at 16, his mother’s triumphs in science-based heart rate conditioning and athletic accomplishments, or even Cason’s rigorous schedule that he combats with his deep desire to succeed and follow in his parent's footsteps after he graduates. 

Swaid has big aspirations for his future and in consideration of his academic achievements, athletic ability, and various accolades, many doors are open for him. Swaid is “hop[ing] to get into a prestigious university, and during [his] time in college, [he] want[s] to merge [his] knowledge of science (mainly biochemistry) with the study of business.”

When asked about his feelings toward his final year, Swaid reflected, “Indian Springs has been a major blessing in my life, and I’m thankful for all the memories and friends I’ve made along the way. The school has guided me along my academic path and has pushed me to be the best I can be.” Although his time at Springs is coming to an end, Swaid states that “there’s a lot more ahead” and how he is “excited to see where life will take [him].”