Soccer, Basketball
Favorite athlete: Gabriel Jesus
Favorite team: Eagles
Favorite memory competing in sports: Winning the Oreland Lions tournament
Most embarrassing/funniest thing that has happened while competing in sports: One of my buddies got hit with a soccer ball, and just did somersaults around to help with the pain.
Music on playlist: A ton of Daniel Caesar and Frank Ocean, but also Drake
Future plans: Study either Mechanical or Civil Engineering in college
Words to live by: “Success is not measured by that which was gained, only by that which was overcome.”— JoePa
One goal before turning 30: Have a good start to a successful career
One thing people don’t know about me: I spend my springs doing Unified Track
By Craig Ostroff
As an athlete, Will McLaughlin is defined by his unwavering desire to be there for his teammates and to help them – and in turn, help the team – to be the best they can be.
That’s apparent every time the Springfield Twp two-sport senior takes to the basketball court or soccer field. It’s apparent in every drill, every practice, every weight room session.
It’s even apparent in the offseason.
This summer, McLaughlin – who had been named a captain of the Spartans’ soccer team – found out that the soccer team’s summer league schedule was nearly identical to the basketball team’s.
Rather than sacrifice one sport for the other, McLaughlin made sure he could be there for both.
“A good way to explain the kind of teammate Will is - Will is the guy who came to me over the summer, concerned that he had been picked as a captain for the soccer team, and he knew he wanted to be there for both teams but didn’t know how to do that with both teams having the same schedule,” said Spartans’ boys’ basketball first-year head coach Mike DeCandido. “He was able to recognize that, because being there for both teams was that important to him. We worked out way he could do both, to make sure he was there for everyone.”
On the hardwood, where McLaughlin recently capped off his Spartan career in the District One playoffs, the point guard is the undisputed heart and soul of the squad. He may not light up the scoreboard, but when it comes to desire, effort, and pure heart, few can match McLaughlin’s contributions to the team.
“From the outside, you might not notice him since he’s not the guy who scores a lot, but if you know basketball, you can see that he is all over the place, doing everything,” DeCandido said. “He’s top two on the team in assists. He’s one of the smallest guys on the team and he’s third in rebounds, so that really speaks to his effort. We don’t emphasize steals, but we emphasize deflections. So he might not get the steals, but he’s often the one who gets the deflection and makes things happen.
“He’s probably not in our top five scorers, but he needs to be on the court all the time. He’s the front of the press that dictates the defense; he’s our point guard, so he pushes the ball up the court; and we tell him to go somewhere else on the court and he will not bat an eye, and will do it to the best of his abilities. He is invaluable in what he does out there and he is invaluable with his leadership and work ethic.”
That work ethic is what got McLaughlin to where he is now. After spending his freshman season on JV, the intent was to have him swing between JV and varsity as a sophomore, but it didn’t take long until McLaughlin secured a starting spot on the varsity team.
What makes his rise even more remarkable is that McLaughlin was one of few players from his freshman class who came back for sophomore season.
“A lot of people quit going into sophomore year,” he said. “As for why I stayed - I don’t have a strong belief in quitting. I’m not going to quit just because other people are. I always loved basketball and for me quitting was not the right thing. The older kids ahead of me I was close with, my coaches, I didn’t want to quit on them.”
That – and his work ethic – earned him the respect of his teammates and coaches. And this winter McLaughlin found himself a captain on the current iteration of the basketball squad, leading the way both on and off the court for the younger players.
With DeCandido stepping in as the new head coach, having a captain like McLaughlin was a godsend, to say the least.
“He’s such a great leader, it really made things easier for me as a first-year head coach,” DeCandido said. “He was my go-to
person for getting a message across to the team. ‘We need to be more positive.’ He makes sure to compliment everyone on the team. ‘We need high fives today, keep spirits up.’ He gets in 200 high fives. Whatever I ask him, he takes it to heart and does to the best of his abilities.”
McLaughlin also knew his role on the team, and was happy to do his part, whether it showed up in the scorebook or not. And that’s an invaluable attitude for the younger players to see.
“I’m not the guy who’s going to go out there and score 15 a game. I’m there to facilitate for my teammates, make them the best they can be, lead them to success,” he said. “I’m out there playing for my teammates, setting them up for success, and that will help me set up my success and the team’s success.
“That’s what drives me. Diving into the stands to keep a play alive is what matters, being on an off-ball and drawing an offensive foul, putting in that effort is what matters. I probably average 3-5 points a game, but I’ve started every game since sophomore year. You don’t have to be the greatest on the court, it’s all about effort. The effort is what matters and working hard and having that work ethic is what matters.”
The effort and hard work paid off from Day 1 … literally. To kick off his senior season, McLaughlin was named MVP of the Oreland Lions’ Tipoff Tournament, scoring 14 total points across the two wins.
It also came after a shortened preseason for McLaughlin due to the Spartans’ soccer team’s extended postseason run.
“Once soccer ended, it was just, ‘I gotta go to the next season,’” he said. “I was really excited for basketball, and couldn’t wait to get out there with my teammates. We hadn’t won the Oreland Lions Tournament as long as I’d been in high school, so it was definitely a great way to start the winter. (Getting named MVP) was really not something I was expecting. But it meant a lot. It shows what the coaches thought of me, that I was out there being someone my teammates could look to.”
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McLaughlin’s stellar debut on the hardwood came hot on the heels of a successful season on the soccer field. The 2025 Spartan soccer team earned a share of the Freedom Division title with a 9-1 record, reached the District 1 4A (large school) semifinal, and earned a berth in the PIAA State Tournament.
“Soccer was such a great season,” said McLaughlin, who earned Honorable Mention All-League honors as a center back. “We lost a lot of senior talent last year, so we weren’t really sure where we would end our season. Ending up in the state playoffs
was a huge thing for us. That team was a true brotherhood, we always had such a great time at practices. It’s the most fun I’ve had playing soccer in my entire life. I got to play with my best friends and made new friends. We had a great time and got some big wins.”
Having lost so many seniors from the previous year, there was additional pressure on McLaughlin and his fellow seniors to lead the way. For his part, McLaughlin found himself a bit more of a vocal leader in soccer, but also made sure to lead by example.
“The previous captains were very skilled soccer players, they’re playing 365 days a year, and I play multiple sports, so I really had to work to keep up with the skills,” he said. “I used my voice and was leading from out in front.
“There’s more pressure in basketball because you’ve only got five people on the court. Being able to play my heart out every game has been something that has helped me with basketball. I took that role with both teams, with what type of captain I was. I’m not the guy who’s going to score 20 points, or score three goals in a soccer game, but I was going to be there when we faced adversity, and was going to do whatever I could to help the team.”
The on-field results speak for themselves, as do the accolades his coach sends his way.
“Will was instrumental in solidifying our defense for us,” Spartans’ boys’ soccer coach Dan Meder said. “More importantly, as one of our co-captains, he was a terrific leader. I’m proud of not only how he played the game, but how he attacked every drill, every practice. I’m proud of what he brought to the program – excitement, fun. Will was not just intense but also has fun playing, and the others see that. He poured his whole heart into this team and his teammates. You couldn’t ask for better senior leadership. He’s been a great role model for us.”
While McLaughlin played numerous sports as a youngster, and played baseball through ninth grade, he decided to focus on soccer and basketball. Part of the reason was to have more than one season on the athletic fields each school year, but it was also important for McLaughlin to be able to spend more time as part of a team.
“I didn’t want to dedicate myself to just one sport because I never saw myself going to college to play sports,” he said. “So I thought I would enjoy spreading out my time being with two different teams. I have my best friends in soccer, and a whole group of different friends in basketball. I have love for both games, so why focus on one when I can play both?”
McLaughlin said that over his high school career, he’s seen the most progression in his aggressiveness and confidence in both sports. He attributes that – fittingly – to his teammates.
“In basketball, I think I’ve learned to attack more,” he said. “I’ve never been that tall, but if you have a little passion and hit the hole hard and have confidence, I’ve definitely grown there. And that’s from knowing I had the confidence of my team and coaches and knowing my teammates had my back and knowing they were confident that I had theirs. In soccer, I never saw myself playing center back, but it’s been a lot of fun, and again, having my teammates on my side and having my back, you can’t help but grow with confidence.”
“Will is one of those players who got better and better as the season went on, even senior year,” Meder said. “He certainly has grown and matured as a player, and you could see that on the field and in practices. But his personality and leadership have always been there.”
•••
The work ethic and effort that McLaughlin pours into his athletic endeavors extend into the classroom as well. He boasts one of the top GPAs in his class, and while his spring semester is only three classes, they’re all AP-level, including Physics and Calculus.
“I’ve always liked school and I’ve really enjoyed this past year-and-a-half,” he said. “I wanted to challenge myself. I’m not going to back down and look for the easy A just because it’s senior year.”
And in addition to classes and athletics, McLaughlin is heavily involved extracurricular activities at Springfield High School.
He is one of four presidents of the Student Council, which helps plan and set up dances and events such as the school’s March Madness event and Spirit Weeks. He is a member of the school’s National Honor Society and chapter of the Rotary District 7430 Interact Club, which participates in volunteer and charitable events such as park cleanups and Cradles to Crayons events.
“Service is a huge thing in high school, and it’s important to give back,” McLaughlin said. “Maybe you don’t want to go to clean up a park at 8 am on a Sunday, but after you’re done, it feels nice that you’re helping the community.”
McLaughlin also participates in Unified Track in the spring.
“Unified is so great,” he said. “You’re forging friendships with students with disabilities, and you learn so much from them. There’s never a sad day with those kids, there’s so much love around it. It’s so easy to want to go to practice.”
McLaughlin understands that his time at Springfield is growing short. And soon he will walk the hallways for the last time. He’s not yet decided on his next step, as he’s still waiting to hear back from several colleges he’s applied to. Though he doesn’t know where he’ll end up, he is planning on studying mechanical or civil engineering, and hopes to play soccer and basketball at the club or intramural level.
And when he looks back on his time as a Spartan, he said his fondest memories won’t be of clutch three-pointers or of win-loss records. They’ll be the times he was able to spend with his friends and teammates.
“I’m going to miss those team moments with my buddies,” he said. “Coming home from Abington after an overtime win on a bus ride … those brotherhood moments, I’m really going to miss those.”
And there is no doubt what Springfield Twp High School will miss once McLaughlin has graduated.
“Will is one of the best guys I’ve ever been around,” DeCandido said. “He is the ultimate leader. He sacrifices everything for the team.
“My goal as a coach is to make sure these guys turn into young men who can be great people, and Will exemplifies that to perfection. Springfield is not losing a star defender and star point guard … as corny as it might sound, Springfield is losing someone in the school who is just a beacon of light and positivity. You can’t replace a guy like that very easily.”
“Will is all heart, just a really good guy,” Meder said. “He’s been a great role model for our team. He shows that you can achieve a lot and still be a good human being. He’s been a leader, leading from out front, and he shows that you don’t have to be the most vocal guy or the most skilled guy, you just have to be doing the right thing at the right time. That’s who he is. The school is a better place because of students like him.”
