My introduction to basketball was the most influential gift that has ever been given to me. It started out from me watching my father play simple pick-up games in the park which put such a drive and work ethic in me that carried over into on and off the court success. The idea that “the harder you work on your game the better you become” was extremely intriguing to me so I put all that I could into my development. I received the structure to truly become a student of the game when I got to Gonzaga high school. Working on my game before and after school was a routine that I did every day for 3 years straight. Working under the instruction of Dick Myers, Washington, D.C.’s all-time most winning coach, and Bill Whitaker (who I am forever indebted to) helped develop my game and exceed my potential. I was afforded the opportunity to be an integral part of a nationally ranked high school team that won a lot of games. Through this experience, I picked up many individual accolades and even got to travel throughout the country and overseas to play basketball. Through all my hard work I became All-Met Player of the Year, USA Today’s D.C. Player of the Year 2 times, and received the title of Mr. Basketball in Washington D.C. which is the most prestigious individual award given in the area. Working daily with my teammates and coaches is an experience that truly shaped my life.

After Gonzaga, I was presented with many athletic scholarships but chose to accept the offer from Xavier University, in Cincinnati, OH. My experience at Xavier was also a great time but had many peaks and valleys. Again, I attempted to outwork everyone that was around me. Unfortunately, I had several injuries, a broken wrist, and 2 broken fingers, throughout my career that made it more challenging. Though I worked extremely hard my playing time was not always where I wanted it to be which became very frustrating. I continued to work hard which afforded me many great times on the court which will never be forgotten. During my time there my team was ranked 7th in the country, we beat the #1 team in the country twice, we made it to the second round in the NCAA tournament, we won 2 Atlantic 10 Championships, we made it to the NIT Final 4, and played in several great tournaments throughout the country. Outside of the athletic opportunities at Xavier, I was able to medical redshirt my first year due to a broken wrist which gave me an extra year on my scholarship. I utilized this extra year to work on and complete a second degree. I left Xavier with a Bachelors’s degree in Finance and Information Systems as well as an internship with Chrysler Financial that became a full-time job offer upon my graduation. The education and athletic opportunities given to me at Xavier truly shaped the next steps in my life.

After Xavier, I went on to be a Financial Consultant for Chrysler Financial. I used all the skills that I learned through basketball in real-life situations and this created corporate success. I ended up pursuing my MBA and finished it in 2008. Finally, with so much accomplished I reflected on how I was able to do these things and it all pointed at basketball. I decided to use all of the knowledge that I have gained through my experience with basketball and give it back to any youth that has the drive to be successful. Participating in basketball training now gives me the opportunity to share my story and give the gift of basketball and its life lessons to all that want it.