WATCH: Florida Tech Scholar-Athlete Shane Carson Talks with Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson - Space Coast Daily (2024)

Carson was honored with the 2024 Andy Seminick Sportsmanship Award at Florida Tech

WATCH: Shane Carson, right, a graduate of Merritt Island High School, and now a graduate of Florida Tech, talked with the Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson at the Erdman Automotive Studio in Cocoa.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – I recently had the opportunity to sit down and talk with a very special young man, Shane Carson.

I has the pleasure to interview Carson four years ago, soon after he graduated from Merritt Island High School and at the time, he was about to enter his freshman year in college to play lacrosse and continue his education.

Here we are now, four years later, and he has a degree in business administration from Florida Institute of Technology.

Carson was an outstanding representative of Florida Tech student/athletes, both on and off the field. He was so highly thought of, that he won the 2024 Andy Seminick Sportsmanship Award.

According to the Florida Tech website, Carson won the award for his “constant support of his teammates, never-negative attitude, and leadership of the pregame prayer.”

I asked Carson how important his faith was in getting him through four years of college. He said, “It was everything.” Carson was very close with his lacrosse coach, Mark Penn. He said Penn led the team Bible study and that he would often go to his office and talk, not only about lacrosse, but about his faith.

At the conclusion of Carson’s freshman year there were multiple challenges that he faced. His friend and coach, Mark Penn, was no longer the lacrosse coach. Also, one of Carson’s friends committed suicide, which was an even greater loss.

Carson said that all these challenges reemphasized to him “that no matter what happens, no matter where you are, God is always there. That was the one consistent thing that was in my life.”

Carson has the support of a wonderful family. He is the type of person that will make a positive impact wherever he goes.

Carson told me one of the secrets to his success is to, “surround yourself with people you want to be like.” He has not only done that, but more importantly, people are now surrounding themselves with Shane Carson, because they want to be like him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Steve Wilson was born in DeRidder, Louisiana and grew up in both New Orleans and Macon, Georgia. He moved to Brevard County in 1984 and retired from local government as the Community Advocate/Assistant to the City Manager with the City of Rockledge in 2018.

Among the awards and accolades Steve has received over the years are 15 + year Rockledge Little League volunteer, Brevard Public School Jefferson Award Recipient, Rockledge High School Raider Booster Award 2001, 2006, City of Rockledge Employee of the Year 2006, Rockledge Kiwanian of the Year 2006-2007, City of Rockledge Quality Public Service Award 2008, 2012, 2017, Rockledge Kiwanis Citizen of the Year 2012-2013, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Sportscasting 2015, Rockledge High School Leadership and Service Award 2016, Central Florida Humanitarian Award 2017, Space Coast Inspiration Award – 2018, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Lifetime Achievement – 2020, Ecofest Achievement Award – 2022, Quality Floridian Award – 2022, presented by U.S. Congressman Bill Posey.

Wilson is especially proud of his chairing two fundraisers in support of pediatric cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in honor of Merritt Island resident Julie Spurlock that raised over $25,000.00.

He has been a partner, along with Orville Susong, for the past 24 years with the Friday Night Locker Room, a broadcasting team that covers and reports on a wide variety of local events that are of significance to the residents of the Space Coast and beyond. Their mission is to promote youth sports, support first responders and law enforcement personnel, and showcase community and charitable events that are produced by our nonprofit partners in central Florida.

The Friday Night Locker Room has awarded hundreds of sports achievement plaques to Brevard County student-athletes over the years. They have also awarded more than $18,000 in academic scholarships to Brevard County high school seniors.