Zack Baun Q&A: Eagles’ breakout linebacker discusses taking dance lessons, playing the bass, and more
Baun has been a revelation for the Eagles and joined Jeff McLane to discuss some of his interests outside of football when he was growing up.
On the latest episode of The Inquirer’s Eagles podcast, unCovering the Birds, breakout linebacker Zack Baun joined host Jeff McLane before Sunday’s rout of the Dallas Cowboys to talk about some of his interests outside of football and the other activities he took part in growing up.
Here’s an excerpt from McLane’s “Pick Six” segment with Baun:
Q: You played a lot of sports growing up [in Wisconsin]. You played football, basketball, track, soccer. You played a little tennis, from what I understand, and a little ballet?
A: It was actually tap and jazz, but, yeah, I danced.
Q: How old were you when you did that? Do you think that helped you in any way in terms of football?
A: I was probably like 6 or 7 when my mom got me into dance. It was tap and jazz, whatever jazz is. I actually have old clips of it. It’s kind of funny, but I don’t think it has any correlation with what I’m doing now, honestly. If anything, coordination at a young age is big, and that was good for me. I definitely had a few concerts. I did a cartwheel in one of the little short clips — it was good.
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Q: You were raised by a single mother, correct? How has that played a role in your life?
A: She’s done everything for me and my four other siblings. Obviously, it’s a tough situation, and looking back, we didn’t have much, but we had everything at the same time. [I’m] very grateful and thankful for her making the sacrifices she did, and getting me in the position to be successful.
Q: You said you didn’t have much. What were some of the things that you maybe were lacking that you look back and you’re like, ‘Oh, I wish I had this or that,’ or even at the time?
A: We were living in an apartment, or subsidized housing, and obviously going to my friends’ house and jumping in their pool and eating at their dinner table, we didn’t always do things like that. But having my son now, it’s definitely something I’m looking forward to doing with him.
We wanted an Xbox; my mom made sure we got that Xbox, no matter what. We had all those things. We never went hungry. We had food on the dinner table. She worked extra to make sure we had what we wanted, so for that, I’m very thankful.
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Q: Apparently you were a musician growing up. Is that correct? How’d you get into that?
A: I was the first bass in orchestra for eight years, from fifth grade to all the way through high school, on and off when I switched schools, but I was still taking lessons. I had to choose between band, orchestra, and choir, or general music, and I wanted to be involved in doing something. I don’t know why I chose the bass, but I chose the bass, and I loved it. Stand-up bass.
Q: Do you still play?
A: I don’t play. I’ve been looking into getting an electric bass, though.