Auburn, ME - "You are not entitled to anything, but an opportunity", these are the exact words that coach Gonyea told back in April 2019. At that point I was trying to decide where my next destination would be. I was in need of an opportunity and had a connection with coach that went beyond basketball. For the first time I felt like I found someone who genuinely cared and meant what he said. After not much hesitation, I decided to grab this opportunity with both hands and that's how my CM experience started.
The opportunity that I saw in front of me in August 2019, when I moved to Auburn, was a basketball opportunity. I saw the chance to become a better player, devote myself to the game on and off the court, and a chance to eventually move on and pursue my dreams. What I didn't see at the time, were all the opportunities that were laying on my path, and opened up a lot of doors for me. Within a couple weeks of preseason, I had created bonds with some of my teammates that will last for a lifetime. I met people that came from all different backgrounds and places around the world.
As the season started, it was very clear that as a team, we had the chance to do some big things in this league, as we were in a really good shape all first semester. Personally, I got to grow a lot as a player, and tried to use everyday as an opportunity to become the player I want to become by using my time wisely. Luckily, I wasn't alone on this journey. My roommate Matt had the same dream of playing at the next level, and together we decided to make the most out of this year. We spent hours and hours practicing, lifting weights, and doing all the extra stuff that other people weren't willing to do, to get that one percent better every single day. Sharing these experiences with someone that has the same mindset and wants the same things, is a unique opportunity that I got to experience. Matt became more than just a teammate or a roommate, but someone that I can call family.
Most of the time, the greatest things at CM came out of the least expected events. I was overly focused on putting myself in the best position to succeed, and getting myself ready to play basketball at the next level, but the chances to learn from people and experience friendships and relationships here at CM helped me just as much to grow into a better person off the court. The season didn't end the way we envisioned it to end, and it was a very disappointing loss.I learned to put stuff like this in perspective and use it as a learning opportunity. We got a couple unfortunate injuries along the second semester which determined a big part of how our season ended. However, as a team we fought until the end and we gave it our best shot. Even though we lost, we left everything on the floor and that's all that we could do in the moment.
After the season, we also had to deal with the unexpected pandemic in the form of COVID-19. The pandemic meant a sudden and odd end to the schoolyear. As a sophomore I was looking forward to graduation, as well as spending some more time with friends. Once again, this might have looked like a painful way to end the year, but it opened up some new opportunities. Still unsure of where my next school would be, I decided to stay on campus. This gave me a chance to work out as much as I had to, while working on campus. This wasn't an easy choice for me, as I decided to not go home and be with my family.
Last but not least, I had the chance to develop a relationship with coach Gonyea that is more than just a player- coach relationship. I never even expected to develop these kinds of relationships when I first came here, but the environment that he has created for me and the basketball program here is something that I will never forget. Knowing my background and my story, he always set me up for success and wanted nothing but the best for me. I would never take any of this for granted, and if it wasn't for that opportunity that he gave me, I wouldn't know where I would be.
The biggest thing that I have learned at CM is that it's not all about the destination. It's about seeing the bigger picture, and knowing where you want to go while enjoying the journey. My goals and dreams always remained the same, but throughout this whole school year I got to know new people, learn about myself, and got to grow as a better person on and off the court and for those chances I will be forever grateful.
