Relationship-Building Leads to Impact

I was born and raised in Montreal, Canada and playing basketball in the United States had always been my dream. But I questioned that dream when I was cut from the team. I remember thinking, How will I ever get recruited now? After the initial shock wore off, I knew I wasn’t ready to give up. So I built relationships with coaches and other players. When a friend of mine became the assistant coach at Dawson College in Quebec, he recruited me to play for the team. It revitalized my love for the game and in two years, I went from being cut from the team to All-Canadian. And from there, I was noticed by NMU and became a Wildcat – a dream come true!

I was actually one of six Canadians on the team at the time, which I don’t think has happened since. My teammates were my rock. Building relationships with them helped me adjust to life at NMU – they helped make sure my academics were taken care of first so I could stay on the court, and they really gave me a piece of home on campus. And being part of my social work cohort made a huge difference in the classroom. My classmates helped me when I missed class because of basketball and my professors pushed me to see the best in myself academically.

Now, building relationships helps me change lives…literally. As a juvenile probation officer in Kent County, I rely on making connections with youth in hopes of deterring them from going down the wrong path. After graduating from NMU and obtaining my master’s degree in social work, I knew I wanted to provide stability for young people – just as my teammates had looked out for me on and off the court. This job sort of came out of left field, and I questioned the opportunity initially. But I realized that foundationally, it had the elements of what I wanted to do with my life: work with youth, build relationships and make an impact.

To continue to fuel my passion for the game, I also coach JV Girls Basketball at a local high school and started my own basketball training, One Five Basketball Amplified. Most recently, I collaborated with The Chosen Ones Academy, which is an organization that aims to combine affordable basketball training with mental health training. Through this organization, I am working with Wes Trammell and Josh Roberson – both of whom I, ironically, competed against when I played for NMU and they played for GVSU. Along with Wes’ sister Nikki, we’ve been working together to equip athletes with coping skills, positive affirmations, self-awareness and finding a healthy balance between being dedicated to your sport but not overly committed to the point where it can affect your daily life. It’s been really great to cross paths with these people again, and to use our passion to better the lives of others. 

Whether you are cut from the team, move to a new country or are in the process of finding the career path that aligns with your passion, continue to build relationships and remain open-minded.

And as I write this article on MLK Day, I can’t help but reflect on the journey my parents both had when they immigrated to Canada in the 1970s. They were faced with different experiences and issues of bias and racism, so their message to me was always to be self-aware, but proud of my heritage. Your upbringing, history and experiences are part of your unique make-up. Be yourself and continue to evolve as a person. You might be surprised at how relatable your experience is with others when you break down the initial barriers.