Nicolas Staggers '20 Recruiting Profile

The first time I touched a basketball I was a pre-schooler.  My father would take me to a basketball court near our neighborhood, where I would make some baskets, with a lot of “assists” from him.  Though I enjoyed basketball, when I started school I was undecided about what sport I liked best; I even tried Football for a short while.  However, my love of Basketball was apparently always there under the surface, so it was just a matter of time before it awoke again in me. 

Playing AAU basketball over the past three years has changed me in the sport, for the better.   

Though I got a late start in becoming really serious about Basketball (2014), thanks to my hard work, discipline, and a dedication to the game that—according to my mother—borders on obsession, I have not only caught up, but my overall game has surpassed that of most kids my age.  On a number of occasions, my coach has relied on me to essentially carry a game, when my teammates were not fully stepping up.  Nevertheless, I have become a better team player, and I look to involve my teammates, than rather do everything myself.  I am insanely competitive against my opponents.  I play this game with no fear, and I become smarter about the game every second that I'm on the court playing. 

I attend Eleanor Roosevelt High School, where I've managed to maintain good grades, finishing my sophomore year with a 3.0 GPA.  Outside of school and Basketball, I serve at our church—Bridgeway Community Church in Columbia, Maryland—twice a month when possible, but at least once a month.  I serve in an area called Servants’ Kids Care (SKC), which is where adults who are serving elsewhere during the church service can leave their children to be cared for, entertained with wholesome activities and programs, and taught about God and the Bible in ways that relate to their lives.  I enjoy giving back to the younger kids, but serving at church is also a fulfilling way to earn the service hours I will need for graduation. 

My ultimate goals and aspirations include being the first in my family to play on a college-level Basketball team, and later hopefully a professional team.  However, I am also practical and want to have a well-rounded education; therefore I want to also pursue a degree in Business Administration and maintain or improve on my 3.0 GPA.  

Whatever life brings, I know one thing:  Basketball is a game that I feel very passionate about.  

It will always be a part of my life, and no one will ever make me feel unhappy to play this game.