I’m sorry it’s been so long since you’ve heard from me, but this past week I’m currently at Robert Morris University in Moon Township, PA (right outside Pittsburgh) for 5-Star Basketball. I just finished up one camp here and tomorrow will start their Academic All-American Camp. The Academic All-American Camp is 5-Star’s regular camp, but they also help kids understand the NCAA Clearinghouse and what it takes to be eligible to play in college.

This past week, I helped run the Canteen. We sold 5-Star equipment as well as food and drinks. This may seem like a small and mindless task, but I got to talk with a lot of coaches and have been trusted with a lot of responsibilites. I found out this past week that Lawrence Frank, coach of the New Jerseyh Nets started in the canteen, so I know that its not just a job that leads no where. I know that I have to work my way up from the bottom.

One of the coaches I met was Jordan Watson. Coach Watson is a coach at Barton County Community College in the Jayhawk Conference. Coach Watson has had a good amount of interaction with our coaches during recruiting.

 Well, I will talk to you in a week or so. Be safe

Gene

As a college student, I’m always asked what I wanna do after graduation? My answer is always the same, a college basketball coach. This is always followed by why college? Why not in the pros?

 I want to coach college for the simple reason of that I want to work with college students. Now this is not saying that I won’t coach high school or the pros, but college is my preferance. For the past two years, I’ve been a manager with the Lynn University Men’s Basketball program, with this past year being my 1st as head manager. I’ve loved working with the players and coaches as well as getting the students involved in the game. I think because I’m in college and see what our players go through and the amount of fan support our team gets, this has pushed me into wanting to coach college.

I love the college atmosphere. There are so many different types of schools and fan bases. This past year, we went to the University of Florida. That was a completely different atmosphere than we normally see on road games. The fans were really into it and you always knew they were there. This just got me going. I wanted to see that atmosphere at every single game. If you look at Duke University, they are known for their students support. I feel that the fans are a part of the team, becuase they can inspire a team and they are always there to cheer on a team.

I feel that in the pros, you don’t get to coach as much. I feel that it is more politicing. I feel in high school, kids have more outside influences because their parents are right there on top of them and kids want to fit in more, so they are more likely to get involved in the wrong things.

One other question is what school would be my dream job. There are two schools that I would consider a dream. The University of Arkansas is one, since I grew up a fan of the school; Lynn is the other because it is going to be my alma mater. Of course any opportunity that comes my way I would love and definately consider.

Now, you know more about me.

Gene

Last week, I went to a party for my cousin. It had two purposes, the first being his birthday and the second being a going away party.

I first met my cousin, Andrew Collins, when I was in the 7th grade when my family and I decided that it would be best for me to be Bar Mitzvahed at the Conservadox synagogue. Conservadox is a term meaning half conservative and half orthodox. He and I became best friends. About a year later, we found out that the woman his grandfather married after his divorce was my cousin’s grandmother. He and I were so happy when we found this out.

My 8th grade year,  he was going out with this girl and I tagged along to a movie with them and we told her I was his cousin, this was all before we found out we were. About 6 months later, he and I got back from Colorado, where we went skiing for Winter Break. That night he threw a New Year’s Eve party and she was there, so since that had broken up already, we decided to break the news to her. She wasn’t too happy about it.

Tuesday was when he left to go to Utah with his parents. I texted him after I got done with camp to ask if he had left and he told me he was about to. I wasn’t going to get to see him since I had to go pick up my brother from work. When I got back to my parents store, I looked at my mom and just broke down. I hated the face that he was gone. I felt like I lost a part of me. He was my 1st true best friend. He and I are brothers. We talk about everything, from our friends to our families to girls to sports. He is one person that has always been there for me.

I’m going to miss going over to his house and playing knee hockey, making fun of our moms, and just being around each other.

Tuba, you’re my boy!