Athlete Spotlight: Jaden Castillo
Jose Rodriguez '24, Staff Writer | Media & Communications
SALEM, Mass. - Our athlete spotlight focuses on senior captain Jaden Castillo (Lawrence, Mass.). Castillo notched his 1,000th career point, becoming the 27th member of Salem State men's basketball family to reach that plateau, in an 84-76 MASCAC victory over conference rival MCLA on January 13.
Castillo spoke about what was going through his mind during his pre-game rituals, knowing he was 14 points away from reaching the milestone. "I just wanted to win. I wasn't really thinking about scoring it. I knew I would get it. I was just mostly concerned with getting a long road win. Credit to my teammates for coming off the bus ready to play as well. I wouldn't have been able to do it without them."
The Lawrence native described the feeling once he hit the milestone. "I would say that it was an enjoyable moment. It was pretty early in the game and we weren't up by much so I was more concerned about that, but I would say it was an enjoyable moment for me. I was happy to share it with this group of guys and my coaches as well."
Castillo, who is majoring in sports and movement science, talked about the pressure for him being gone knowing he accomplished the milestone. "Knowing that I accomplished this goal was very pleasing, but there was never really any pressure so I feel like moving forward there still won't be any pressure. I just want to win and for our guys to succeed and keep growing as a unit."
He talked about his progression each day on the court and how he is getting better by working on his craft as each day progresses. "I just try and take things day by day. I just come into practice ready to work hard and also try to get in the gym for extra work. I just try to be the best leader for the team because most of our guys are new and I've been here for a while and I just try to support them and be positive."
As for his routine before the game and before practice and how it differs. "Usually my routine starts off with some form shooting around the rim. Then I work my way out, I also catch up with my teammates and try to make it an enjoyable environment for everyone before we lock in for practice. For games my routine is mostly team based. We do things together to prepare for the game, but I mostly get up a lot of shots before game time."
He also touched on his offseason routine and how he gets prepared for the upcoming season. "I usually workout with my old high school coach/team, and also some other college athlete friends I have as well. I also try to run a lot and eat right. I try to wake up early in the morning to get it out of the way so I have the day to rest and spend time with family and friends."
Castillo talked about how each year he is getting better and better on the court. "I just try to get in the gym consistently. My main focus throughout the years was my shot and staying confident. I also focused on my body and trying to become stronger, to keep up with the physicality of the league."
He talked about how he can make an impact on the court. "I feel like being a leader on the defensive end and being disruptive could have an effect on the game. I also feel like if I remain confident in my shooting and my ability to score while putting my teammates in the right position could be a game changer as well. The main thing for us is staying together. Once we are all on the same page, no one can stop us."
Castillo talked about what it means to be captain and what kind of responsibility's he has. "First I would say that I am honored to be chosen to be team captain. To me, being team captain meant to be a leader for the young guys. I became captain in the beginning of the year and some additional responsibilities I had were making sure we stayed together, keeping a positive attitude, and giving out constructive criticism. Out of all the guys we have, I've been here the longest and have the most experience, so I try to lead by example."
A game that he is looking forward to this season is the Vikings first playoff game. "I'm looking forward to the first playoff game, I feel like people are overlooking us and I feel like we can make some noise in the league. Our goal is to win the league, so winning the first playoff game is the first step to that goal."
Castillo started playing basketball when he was in elementary school and talked about how he got involved in the game of basketball and what the future holds once he graduates in May. "My mom was the one who really pushed me towards basketball. I played baseball and football before but I felt my best in basketball. Once I'm done graduating I want to work in the school systems as a discipline director or a physical education teacher. If there's an opportunity for basketball in the future I might take it, I might not. It just depends on what I want at the moment mentally."
He has a message for the youth who want to play basketball. "A message I would like to send to the youth is always try and get in the gym and have people around you with the same goals. My mom always used to tell me you are who you hang out with, and I believe that. I would also say, stay on top of your school work because without it the opportunities go away."
He talked about how difficult is to be a student-athletes "Being a student-athlete can be frustrating at times, but I just try to be on top of my work and manage my time wisely. I try and schedule my classes accordingly so I can be on time to practice. I also try and get in the gym on my free time."
He mentioned the people who have inspired him in a unique way. "I would say that my mom impacted me in a unique way. She was a college athlete herself and she always encouraged me to play sports from a young age. She also has a strong work ethic, which also inspires me to do the same. I also would say Carl, my teammate who passed away, had a huge impact on me this season as well. Our team will always keep his name alive in the locker room, which brings us closer together."
Castillo shared some interesting facts that we don't know about the Lawrence native. "I have five siblings, I have a schnauzer named Paxton, I love every Transformers movie, and I'm Dominican and Puerto Rican."
He talked about where he would like to go for vacation. "I would like to go on a cruise and visit different islands because I have never done that before and I heard it's pretty fun. I also wonder what it's like to be at sea to enjoy the scenery."
Castillo and the Vikings will return to Twohig Gymnasium to face the Worcester State Lancers for a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) contest on Wednesday, January 17. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.