Benjamin Lander '19 Recruiting Profile

Hi Coaches, My name is Ben Lander and I am actively seeking to gain a scholarship at an American University.  My journey to basketball was a late one playing my first competitive season when I was 15, before basketball, I was a big cricket player and still am in many respects I played for the county (state) team for three consecutive seasons. I now play cricket for a local village's first XI senior team which I greatly enjoy.  I started playing basketball after going to watch my brother play in our local teams junior summer league. The first club I played for was Plymouth Raiders Development, the junior affiliates of professional team Plymouth Raiders who compete in the British Basketball League after my two seasons of under 16s and one of season of playing up in the Under 18s squad. I made the decision to move to Reading and join JMA and Reading Rockets where I currently play. Leaving home at 16 to move 4 hours away was a decision I did not take lightly but one I wholeheartedly felt was the best choice. I felt I needed a better progression pathway and I felt Reading was the best place for me to balance full-time education and basketball while also having a part-time job. I believe I am very mature for my age and have learned lessons that I wouldn't have if I didn't leave home. My goal is to play basketball in America whilst getting a degree I know and appreciate this is a very competitive market I'm shooting for but I believe I can achieve it. I am very hardworking and dedicated I am a perfectionist, I also am not afraid to hold myself and teammates accountable to mistakes and enjoy and excel at taking roles of leadership and thrive in leadership situations. I am currently Head boy at John Madejski Academy my role as head boy includes helping write behavior and attendance policies, planning student trips and general student-based activities. I was also recognized as a hard-working student and was given the great opportunity to visit the concentration camp Auschwitz that has truly changed me as a person. What separates me from other players is my ability to learn quick, throw myself into so many different areas not just in sport but in community work, I am a community coach for Reading Rockets basketball club and thoroughly enjoy it. I believe that this is a dream I can accomplish and hope that it is for a great programme where I can build great relationships with the coaching staff, players, school faculty and the extended community whilst gaining a great degree and having the 4 best years of my life. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this, I hope to hear from you soon.