My Parents
Everybody has the people that they say they owe everything to, whether it be a teacher, mentor, parent, or other family member. I owe everything that I have and ever will ever have to my parents, Charlene and Paul “Chuck” Prousnitzer.
My parents have always put my brothers and I in a position to succeed in whatever we do. This summer, the coaches want me go work different basketball camps in order to gain experience, as well as contacts. My parents have been giving me suggestions on where I could go. I assumed my parents wouldn’t want me to go too far, but my mom recommended I try to go Knoxville, Tennessee and try to work at the University of Tennessee. Coach Bruce Pearl and I have a little bit in common. We both are Jewish and in college, he was a manager at Boston College. I’m also going to be trying to work at SMU in Dallas; the University of Arkansas-Little Rock; the University of Arkansas; the University of Memphis, where one of my uncles is the Travel Coordinator; the University of Central Arkansas; the University of Oklahoma; the University of Tulsa; Mississipi State University; Louisiana State University; and my high school, Catholic High for Boys.
When I was growing up, and played a bunch of different sports, my parents where the one’s taking me to practice and games, even when I had to leave one game at halftime, in order to make it in time for another one. My dad would coach my teams, but never gave me preferential treatment. In fact, he was actually harder on me, but I know its because he wanted me to succeed. My dad even taught me a move in basketball that is one of the best hustle plays, the charge. When I play, I’m known to take charges, and I love it. In fact, in a game in high school, I was guarding a guy who was bigger than me, and my dad told me he looked to another parent and said he thought I was in a mismatch, then he heard a whistle and he looked and the ref called a charge on the other player.
My mom has always been there for me to have someone to talk to and offer advice. She is one person who I could always trust, and I felt was not only my mom, but my friend.
I love my parents and would do anything to repay them for everything they’ve given me. My friend asked me if I had a million dollars whats the first thing I’d buy and my response is the same as what I’d say anything “A nice house for my parents.”
Remember, always love those who sacrificed to put you in a position to succeed.
Gene
