It’s been about a 2 weeks since I’ve been here in Ireland and I’m having an amazing time. I can’t wait to get out and see what this country has to offer me and what I can share with it. One of the main themes since I’ve been here has been “Why are you here? What is your purpose?”. Well those are two great questions. Why am I here? What is my purpose?
I’ll start with why I’m here. I am here because of all the people that invested in me. Without the hundreds of people who have molded and shaped me into the young woman I am today, I wouldn’t be me. I am grateful for every success and every failure in my life because each of those situations have been learning tools, allowing me to create the me that is here today.
About 2 years ago, my sophomore year in college, things as far as school and basketball weren’t the best. I was struggling in both areas. I was dealing with a new coaching situation, and still trying to balance out school and my athletics. It was exhausting mentally and physically and my body was definitely paying the price. I began to get really bad stomach aches. For a while I ignored it because I have a sensitive stomach and like the other times I thought it would just go away on it’s own. 1 week and then 2 and then a month went by and nothing changed. In fact, the situation worsened. I had pains that literally brought me to tears. The worst part about it is that even after my numerous doctors visits and tests, no one could tell me what was wrong. It was extremely frustrating because I knew something wasn’t right. I took medicines, changed my diet, did cleanses .. nothing worked.
Between basketball and my new coaches, school, and the mystery illness.. my coaches and I decided that it would be best to stop playing and just finish out the semester before transferring. At that time in my life I had no idea where I was going to go or what I was going to do. I didn’t even want to play basketball anymore. The one thing that I had always truly loved. For a while I was in a dark place, but things started to warm up for me. I was feeling more like myself. Just a genuinely happier person after having some time to find myself again & reconnect with the game of basketball. I started getting offers and taking visits. I was pretty much ready to go anywhere, I just needed someone to take a chance on me. And then I met Coach Traversi at Adelphi University and she did just that.
I remember walking in the city and getting a phone call from a Massachusetts number and I thought to myself “I don’t know anyone from Massachusetts”, but I answered anyway. That phone call changed my life.
I met her and I knew immediately that she was who I wanted to play for. I fell back in love with the game and it was amazing. She made me feel like I had a purpose again. I will forever remember and appreciate her for that. She had no idea who I was, what I played like, or what I was about .. but she believed in me and because of that I believed in myself again.
I played two seasons with her, in the first year bringing home an NE-10 championship and making and NCAA appearance. I also managed to excel in the classroom and graduated Summa Cum Laude, something I never saw happening for me. Adelphi was where I belonged and I’m glad I found my way there.
I said all of that to say this. You never know the lives of people you will affect. You can use your craft as a way to inspire others. Just because things don’t go as planned on the first trip doesn’t mean there isn’t another route. Never ever stop believing in yourself.
A number of people have helped me along my journey and I certainly would not be here without them. This is me saying thank you to all of you. So this .. changing lives and making people around me believe in themselves through sport, is why I am here.
This is my purpose.
