Chick-fil-a Student Athlete of the Month

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Tommy Koesters: Learning Life Lessons from Basketball

by Melanie Vynalek

When hearing of Bishop McGuinness High School, the first thing that comes to mind is basketball.  While women’s basketball at Bishop continues its phenomenon as the winner of nine straight state championships, one cannot forget the men’s team, which shows the importance of what it really means to be a team.  For Bishop senior Tommy Koesters, this team is like family.

Tommy began playing basketball at the age of five and has enjoyed the game ever since.  As his final season of high school basketball ended, the importance of this team he has been on for the past four years became very meaningful to him.  “What always motivated me was playing for my teammates.  The most rewarding thing about basketball was playing together as a team and winning and celebrating together,” said Tommy.  There is definitely no “I” in team for this athlete.

The basketball program at Bishop teaches one of the most important qualities anyone can have: respect.  To respect one’s coaches, teammates, and opponents is challenging for some athletes, but it is no problem for Tommy Koesters.  He not only uses this attitude on the court, but off the court in his everyday life as well.

During a game or practice, Tommy thinks back to some of the best advice he has received on how to improve and be a better player: “Play like your hair is on fire.”  With this in mind, Tommy plays with more passion and effort, not only in basketball, but in every sport in which he has ever participated, having also earned All-Conference honors this year in football.

The Villains basketball team finished the 2013-2014 Season 21-7, and Tommy was named Honorable Mention All-Conference.  He is considering attending North Carolina State University, The University of South Carolina, or The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill next fall.  Tommy plans on playing basketball at whatever level possible while in college.  He said, “It has been a part of my life for so long and there is no reason for that to stop now.”

 

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