Whiz Kid: West's Zack Naja is a Football Star

Whiz Kid: Zack Naja, 17 years old

School: Smithtown West High School

Accomplishment: Naja was named to the All Metro and All Long Island teams for his accomplishments on the field for the Smithtown West Bulls.

We kick off [pun intended] our Whiz Kid series with Zack Naja, a Smithtown West junior whose skills on the football field led him to be selected to the MSG Varsity All Metro Football team and Newsday's 2010 All Long Island Football teams. Naja’s goal coming into the 2010 season was to break his brother Nick’s sack record, which he did, but then took his accomplishments further.

“I just came into the season wanting to break his sack record, which his sack record was nine and I got 10,” he said. “I achieved that and I thought it was the end of it until I got All Metro. It’s like a dream, I feel like the puzzle is falling into place.”

Naja said he started playing football very young with his brothers and father, and while his brothers participated in one league of football, he would participate in two, which he believes is a factor to his current success.

While West lost to Bellport in the playoffs in 2010, Naja is confident that his skills and the quality play of his teammates will be enough to win the Long Island Championship in 2011.

“Next year, let’s bring it home.”