Nick LaChapelle refused to allow two leg surgeries to derail his outstanding athletic career at Woodland — and his resilience paid off when he was named the Hawks’ CIAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
LaChapelle’s career took a winding road. As a freshman, he focused solely on running during cross country and outdoor track. By the time he’d graduated, he was playing soccer and swimming in addition to running track and putting together an admirable academic record.
“Entering high school, I wanted to leave the best version of myself both athletically and academically,” LaChapelle said. “I knew I’d do whatever it took, and coming out of school with a 4.0 GPA, a semester’s worth of college credit, tons of medals, and many other athletic accolades, I can say I definitely accomplished that goal.”
In between a great start and a sterling finish, though, LaChapelle missed his junior seasons of cross country and swimming after underdoing two surgeries to address chronic compartment syndrome, a condition that’s like shin splints but is more severe and persistent.
The surgeries were physically successful but tested LaChapelle’s mental strength during the 2022-23 school year.
“I tried my hardest to not let it crush me,” LaChapelle said. “I knew that if I were to sit around, I’d totally be bummed; however, I decided to be proactive. During the recover in the fall of my first surgery, I helped Coach (Jeff) Lownds coach the cross country team. After my second surgery, I made sure to come to just about every swim practice and cheer on our developing team since the first few weeks are the hardest. By doing that, I was able to recover without a problem, which set me up for a semi-painless track season.”
LaChapelle had plenty of expertise to offer to his fellow runners; after all, he finished second at the Naugatuck Valley League cross country championships as a sophomore, earning all-league honors and helping the Hawks to the league title.
When he returned to the track for the first season after his surgeries, he earned All-NVL honors again after finishing second in the 3,200 meters and third in the 1,600 meters.
But LaChapelle might be proudest of the way Woodland’s swim team grew during his time at school. He didn’t swim as a freshman during the pandemic-shortened 2021 season during which the Hawks fell short of the NVL championship, but he joined for the 2021-22 campaign that saw Woodland win its first league title and finish as the Class S runner-up.
Since then, Woodland has completed an NVL three-peat and was also the 2024 Class S runner-up.
“All of the effort my team had put in had finally paid off,” LaChapelle said. “Seeing the immense transformation the team had went through to get these key wins made me very proud of my job as a captain and the team’s dedication.”
LaChapelle credited head coach Brendan Heller and assistant coaches Jake Stow and Lauren Lombardo for the team’s championship success and keeping him involved when he had to miss his junior season.
“I’d 100% place the credit on my coaches,” LaChapelle said. “They instilled a sense of unity, pride, and an insane amount of determination. We were all on board. When I got my leg surgeries in 2023, all I could think about was getting back to the team to help win.”
CAPTION JIM SHANNON REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN Whether it was in a pool (pictured), on a soccer pitch, on a cross country course or on a track, Woodland’s Nick LaChapelle excelled. He also excelled off the field, and that made him the CIAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the Hawks.
Between competing, training, and recovering, LaChapelle was just as focused on his work in the classroom. His work ethic resulted in his admission to Elon University’s accelerated physician’s assistant program, where he will spend the next 5 ½ years.
“That was one of my proudest academic [accomplishments] because only eight of 200 people were accepted into that program,” LaChapelle said.
As he prepares to head south, LaChapelle’s advice for incoming high school freshmen is to get involved and be present during their four years.
“If I was to give advice, first of all I’d say join as many sports and/or clubs as you can,” LaChapelle said. “Extracurriculars help pass high school, help people make more friends, and help people stay on top of their schoolwork. I’d also say live in the moment because before you know it, all of that fun will have to end. Make as many memories as you can and truly enjoy it while it lasts.”
