Personal Statement
I am a 6'2 guard from the UK, and it has always been my biggest dream to play basketball in the US. I have had a passion for basketball since the first time I played with my friends at school. I am deeply inspired by Kobe Bryant and his work ethic, and I try to model this not only in sport but in academics and everyday life. I joined my first basketball team about 5 years ago. I started by going to u14 games at age 12 and coming onto the court for the last 5 minutes of every game, but through hard work I eventually became a consistent starter and one of the most reliable scoring options on my team. At 13, I was scouted to play for the South of England team through the Aspire program. This was an amazing opportunity as it was designed to bring talented young players together to both accelerate our development and nurture our passion. Through this program I got a glimpse of what it takes to be an elite player, the commitment, the drive, the resilience and best of all the thrill of performing to our best. I am currently studying for my Level 3 Sport course and would like to study physiotherapy or sport therapy at 3rd level.
Growing up in the UK where basketball is a minority sport and our major regulatory body (Basketball England) doesn't receive any funding from the government, it is very difficult to find anywhere to play and compete (as an example my entire county has just two major teams) and so facilities are not at the same standard as those found in even minor clubs in the US and being on the first team is highly competitive. From age 13 I played in the National league (NBL) and have played U18 NBL since I was 15. This season, as well as playing NBL, I have also played with the mens' national league team at my club and have been selected for the team for a tournament in Portugal in June 2023.
My coaches have consistently described me as hard-working, very coachable, responsiveness to feedback and willing to learn new skills. As my long-term aspiration is to play professionally overseas, this year I took the decision to move colleges so that I can take up a position on a UK premier team (Bracknell Cobra's in a different county). Bracknell Cobra's came 4th in the National cup this year and have been in the top 4 for the last 3 years. It is highly competitive to be accepted onto this team and I have been offered a place on the first team. To accept this I will move from home and restart my A-level studies in a new college. Given all that I've achieved in the UK with these limitations, I'm excited to see what I can achieve in a country such as America where I have the opportunity to train with the very best coaches, teammates, and facilities.
I believe that I have qualities that can make a positive impact in any program at any level.
