With basketball season right around the corner, I had to touch upon it in my blog this week. I started playing basketball when I was about 5 years old and, honestly, it has been a part of my life every day since. Growing up, my brothers and I were always playing sports. Basketball, soccer, football, baseball, softball, you name it….we did it all. Up until my senior year of high school, I had some sort of athletic practice every day; sometimes even twice in one day. Looking back on it all, I really can’t thank my parents enough for all of the hours they dedicated to drive me to and from practices (even the practices I didn’t always want to go to), workouts, and games literally all over the country. They dedicated just as much of their time to my athletic career as I did. Thank you both for pushing me and believing in me every step of the way. Mom, thank you for being my ultimate number 1 fan. Dad, thank you for treating me the same as my brothers. Sean and Chris, thank you for never taking it easy on me.
It is extremely strange knowing that I will not be stepping on the court this year with a Brockport jersey on. I had an incredible 4 years on and off the court there. It truly became my second home. When my parents first dropped me off for my freshman year, I didn’t know what my collegiate future held. Four years of an unknown future in a completely new world seemed like an eternity, but that “eternity” flew by in the blink of an eye and I would not have changed a single thing. I made some of the greatest friendships and memories which I will cherish forever. I’m looking forward to watching the women’s basketball program continue to grow and I wish them nothing but great success.
I know that some people say “your college years are the best four years of your life”, but I hope that’s not true. At least, for me anyways, I believe that those 4 years are just a starting point for my amazing adventure in this world. I want to make a difference while I’m on this Earth in any way that I can. Life is too short to not make the most of it; it’s even too short to spend a day unhappy. After my team lost in our semi-final game last season (the program’s first playoff game in almost a decade) and the final buzzer sounded, I ambivalently smiled at the scoreboard. After my team shook hands with the other, we came together for one last time. I told my teammates, “it’s your turn now, go make a difference.” That’s my ultimate goal in life: to always leave something better than I found it. Life has no limitations, except the ones you make! What are you waiting for?
“Why should you never iron a four-leaf clover?”
“You don’t want to press your luck!”
