O'Day Has His Priorities Right
September 6, 2010 New England Hoop News Staff
O'Day Has His Priorities Right
Northfield Mount Hermon has a great collection of talent on this year's team. People who follow basketball in this region at the prep level are very familiar with many of the names on this year's roster because of exposure they have received with their travel teams and recruiting talk. There is one player, however, that has been quietly garnering significant interest from several very good college programs, and he could prove to be a real hidden gem. That player is Connecticut's Ethan O'Day who recently transferred into Northfield from E. O. Smith High School in Storrs, CT.
O'Day had nothing but good things to say about his new school. "Everything is going really well. We have a good team this year. This is a great fit for me academically as well as basketball-wise. I am excited to get the season underway and get on the court" he said. Leaving a public high school to go to a traditional boarding school can be a big adjustment but the young post player seems to be handling it well. "Leaving E.O. Smith has its ups and downs. It was hard for me to leave my family but I am very focused on basketball and what I want to do." Talking to O'Day you immediately notice some qualities that separate him from other players his age. "It's different (prep school). Class is a little longer but I'm only taking three because the academics are so rigorous. My parents and I are pretty happy about everything and my decision to transfer because we all knew it was the best for me." We also touched on some of his academic interests and what he may be interested in pursuing at the next level. "I'm weighing my options but I am leaning towards physical therapy or something in the sports medicine field."
Northfield is coming off a very successful season and there are high expectations for this year. O'Day sees his role on the team as that of a contributor doing whatever is asked of him. "This year I want to contribute as much as I can to help the team win New England. For me personally I want to improve my overall game and mostly my perimeter game."
Recruiting can sometimes be a long and drawn out process but he said he is taking it slow and being patient with his next step. He took a few visits this summer but is waiting for the fall recruiting and evaluation period to kick in before making any decisions. "I visited the University of Virginia and Appalachian State this summer while on vacation with my family. Virginia was great. The facility is the best basketball facility I have ever seen." As for where he stands right now, he added, "I don't really have one (college) in mind. Sacred Heart and Holy Cross have shown interest locally but I don't have any offers yet and I don't have any visits set up as of right now".
Today in the world of college sports the term "student athlete" is thrown around quite a bit, and sometimes it seems the term should be reversed to reflect some youngsters' priorities, but with Ethan O'Day the term "student athlete" seems to be a perfect fit.
Post to Facebook
Tweet this
Bookmark & ShareIf you have any comments to add to this article, please email us at comments@nehoopnews.com.
Comments