The life of Josh Crane

By: Carter Geddes

As you look into the life of Josh Crane, you would think between being a three-sport athlete and a high school student that he wouldn’t be able to make room for a social life—but somehow he manages to find time to work in a day of hunting or even spend a night out on the town.

Ever since he was a little boy, Crane has been involved in anything and everything athletic. Whether it was playing backyard football with his brothers or pickup basketball games on the weekend, he has always lived an active lifestyle.

When asked why he loves the sports so much, his reply is simple. “I just have a part of me that loves to win, it’s what drives me to better each time I play,” Crane said.

And win is what Crane does best. He has accumulated numerous plaques and trophies with his name on them. Not only is Crane a great athlete but a great role model or idol for people all around him. Many times you can hear kids say, “Oh did you see the Crane Train’s kick return?”or “Wow! Crane basically dunked it!”

Nicknames come on easy for this athletic phenom. He gains them from eating so many sour skittles and his outstanding performances on the football field. Shortly into the season it was evident that crane was a powerhouse when it came to outrunning his opponents. After returning a punt in a game against Capital at the beginning of the year, the student section began to chant ‘Crane Train, Crane Train, Crane Train.’ Ever since that game, the name stuck. People would use the Crane Train reference all over town.

“I just have a part of me that loves to win, it’s what drives me to better each time I play,” Crane said.

It seems that being a three-sport athlete brings little time for breaks. In the spring he is busy finishing basketball and starting baseball full bore, then in the summer he continues baseball while he finds ways to fit in camps and tournaments for basketball. Then once the summer starts coming to an end, he has to work in his football workouts, so that when school starts, he’s able to perform the way he does. Maybe it’s this hard work day in and day out that has given him the work ethic he has, both mentally and physically.

When talking to his coaches it is easy to see that Crane is always an asset to his team, no matter the sport. His basketball coach Bill Hawkins constantly said, “Josh has got a motor, and that’s what I like about him, he gives 110% –110%of the time.”

The Legend of the Crane Train continues today, but we can’t forget that his love for athletics started way back when he was a boy playing football in the backyard.