From being a volunteer in the local community to putting in the time and effort to compete in sports, Tyrone freshman Vincent Maloney is really putting himself out there and excelling in many different areas.

Just a few of Maloney’s extracurricular activities are volunteering at the Neptune Fire Department, working at his family business, swimming competitively for two area teams, and boxing. If that isn’t enough, he is also working on earning his pilot’s license.

Tyrone social studies teacher John Coltabaugh had Maloney as a student this year in US history and was very impressed with all that he does.

“While Vinnie comes across as quiet, he is a very smart kid,” Coltabaugh said.

Maloney has been putting those smarts to use by learning how to fly a plane for the past two years. Flying is in his family’s blood, and he does it along with his brother and father.

“While flying is fun and it’s a unique experience to be able to fly a plane, especially when you’re younger [but] I haven’t been able to fly recently because I’ve been busy with swim, boxing, and school,” Maloney said.

Still, he hopes to get his pilot’s license by the summer when he turns 16.

Of all the other things Maloney does, volunteering for the Neptune Fire Department is one of the most demanding.

“[Being a volunteer firefighter] takes a lot of time because we could get multiple calls at any time of the day and each one could take a long time, but it just depends on what type of call we get,” Maloney said.

Maloney also works part-time at the family business, the Sugar Mill Bakery, which is across from Jean-o’s in Tyrone.

“Working at the Sugar Mill is a fun and unique experience that not many people get to experience,” Maloney said.

The bakery is one of Tyrone’s newest small businesses and was recently profiled in the Eagle Eye.

At the bakery, Maloney usually runs the register or packages orders for delivery.

“Occasionally I will have to bring some boxes to the back for my father and sometimes he will ask me to help him make some pizzas or something else like that,” Maloney said.

When he’s not volunteering or working, Maloney can often be found working out at the pool or boxing with his brother Dominic.

Maloney has been swimming competitively for the past six years.

He swims for the Hollidaysburg YMCA and this winter will be his first season on the Tyrone High School swim team.

He competes in all types of events from the 50 freestyle to the 500 freestyle. His favorties are the, 100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, and 200 breaststroke.

Maloney’s best time for the 50 free is 29:75 and in the 500 free he is around a 7:12.

“Swimming is a hard sport to get into, but if you stick with it for a long time you start to like it more and you start to get used to some of the harder things the coaches throw at you,” Maloney said.

So far, Maloney has won seven medals in swimming.

Maloney and his brother also started boxing at the Gorilla Gym in Altoona. Boxing is something that he really enjoys doing with his brother.

“Me and Vin have a good relationship. We have a lot of common interests so it’s very easy for us to get along. Whether it’s boxing or playing video games we spend most of our free time hanging out in some way having a little brother like a built-in best friend,” said Dominic Maloney.

Maloney also played basketball and baseball while he was Texas from the age 9 to 10. He played basketball one year and baseball the other year.