At the age of three, I was given a ball to play with and a hoop to throw it at. I grew up being told my whole life that basketball was in my blood and that I should give it my all until I had no more to give.
I honestly did not think basketball was in my future.
I was 6-2 as a freshman in high school and still couldn't find the spark in the game of basketball. Fast-forward a year and six inches later, a romantic relationship was starting to blossom just as the college recruiting process was beginning to take place.
I had been told to put on weight because I could have a chance to play division one basketball. That next day, I ate like a mad man and went to the gym.
I transformed from a skinny 6-2, 180 lb. boy to a 6-8, 215 lb. man in a matter of a year and a half.
My peers were right, basketball could be my calling.
For many athletes, the recruiting process is the first major time in their lives. It's stressful and a time where you can show off all the hard work you have put in over the span of your lifetime, hoping to catch an eye of a college coach at a camp, a live period game or at a workout.
You have to be the best you and not give a coach any reason not to be interested in you on the court or off. You needed to be on your best behavior at all times.
During my junior year of high school in the spring at a live period event, Lafayette head coach Fran O'Hanlon was watching.
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I like to think of myself as a tough player.
Considering I have broken my nose at least five times over my basketball career, this game was no different.
I caught an elbow on the top of my head and immediately blood started gushing down my face. My first thought was to score and run to the trainer. It was too deep to seal up and would need stitches.
After a couple of seconds, I said to the trainer, "Wrap my head. I'm going back in the game."
She wrapped me up and I went back into the game and gave it my all, like nothing happened. After the game, I went to the hospital and got five staples in my head.
The next week I got calls from at least eight college coaches and Lafayette was one of them.
Being a South Jersey kid, I had heard of Lafayette and knew how prestigious of a school it was, but did not know much about their basketball program. About two weeks later, after the game where I got staples, I went to Lafayette's campus and immediately fell in love.
The campus and student-athlete life was everything I wanted.
Looking back on my decision to attend Lafayette College and earn my Biology degree, I smile every time. Not many people get to say that they fulfilled their dreams.
I could have never imagined I would get to play Kansas at Kansas, play a top ranked Villanova, battle USC, watch the mountaineer shoot his musket and go dancing in March, while also getting myself a ring with my brothers and winning the Patriot league championship.
I could not have accomplished my dreams and goals if it weren't for the support of my parents and my brother.
To my parents: I thank you for giving a little kid a ball and showing him what it takes to be successful.
To my brother: You are an inspiration to me and I appreciate all the support you have given me over the years. Despite the fact that you were first dragged along in your stroller, it wasn't long until I could hear you yelling on the sidelines.
Lafayette: Thank you for being my home away from home and for supplying me with the necessities to be successful. You allowed me the opportunities to explore different majors and to fall in love with biology the same way I did with the game of basketball.
Through Lafayette, I have had the opportunities to explore the medical field through volunteering at hospitals and shadowing doctors. I have also had the chance to explore research in the biology field, connecting sports to science.
I have developed relationships with my professors and the faculty, making long-time partnerships with peers who can help me in my future endeavors.
I am thankful for my teammates that I have had the opportunity to play with, especially my roommate and friend, Eric Stafford. I could not have asked for a better person to share this experience with.
My teammates led me in the right direction and pushed me to a level I never thought I could reach.
I'll never forget the relationships I have made over the years.
After I unlaced my shoes, took off that #13 jersey and walked out of the locker room one last time, I said to myself, "I'm leaving it better than I found it," smiled and walked away.
I want to give a big thank you to Coach O and the entire Lafayette Basketball program as a whole.
You gave me the opportunity to continue my dreams and fulfill my goals. I could not be more thankful and am proud to be a Leopard.
Finally, we start practice everyday with a quote of the day, where we try to break it down and understand what it means. I want to end my time on a quote that has been with me since high school and resembles my love for basketball,
"Somewhere behind the athlete you have become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you, is a little boy who picked up a ball, fell in love with the game and never looked back."
Thank you.
