Rejection vs Redirection: How being turned down from the NCAA was the best thing that happened to me

As a member of the NCAA as a collegiate basketball player I was afforded opportunities way beyond the court. With the recommendation of coaches and athletic directors I was offered the opportunity to visit the NCAA Headquarters a part of the first ever Division III Student Immersion Program. Once there I was able to connect with other student-athletes not only in Division III but administrators, leaders, and staff across the entire NCAA. I saw the behind scenes aspect of the work the #NCAA does so thousands of students across the US can enjoy their collegiate academic and athletic years.

After my experience I was empowered to do more at my college for student-athletes. We reignited the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee which was focused on advocating for student athletes while also giving back to our neighboring community. After a successful year I began to think of opportunities post college. What did I want to do? Did I want to work? Did I want to get my masters degree? Naturally I was attracted to the idea of applying for the NCAA Postgraduate Internship Program. An illustrious program that provides on-the-job learning experiences at the national office in Indianapolis to 30 college graduates who are passionate in their pursuit of a career in college athletics. With a focus on ethnic minorities, women and former student-athletes, this yearlong program gives insight to the inner workings of college sports from the national perspective. I put all my "eggs" in one basket and was set on being a part of the NCAA.

After an extensive application process I was informed in late 2017 I was not selected for the internship position. I was sad, I was upset, I thought I had a strong application to be a part of this organization. Since I put all my eggs in one basket and was solely focused on this and had to pivot to figure out what I was going to do post graduation. I started to think about how I can continue doing something I was passionate about. I figured if I can continue to be fulfilled by my daily work, the job title wouldn’t matter. I was in limbo of attending graduate school and decided to apply at my alma mater CMSV in February of 2018. Within weeks I was accepted into the program and excited to know I thought I figured out what I was going to do post graduation (wait for it…)

With the decision to attend graduate school “decided” I was wrapping up my senior year of college basketball. My senior year our team made it all the way to the Skyline Playoffs and was defeated by a very strong SUNY Purchase team. February 22, 2018 will be a day I never forget, it was the day my athletic basketball career was over. From the days of CYO basketball to New York City high school basketball, and now college basketball 13 years *poof* it was gone just like that. I wasn’t ready to let the sport go. I felt I was identified by this sport, and without the sport who was I? Pretty scary to look back and see how unsure and uncertain I was just as I was about to enter the “real world” with “half a plan”. The next day I had lunch with my Mount Mentor, John Caruso and couldn’t be anymore thankful for that day and our relationship. At lunch I was so focused on losing basketball as my identity and John knew that. But with his experience in the work force and himself being a Mount alum, he gave me the push and reassurance I needed to get my head together and look for opportunities post graduation. In one way I looked at my “life” being over, but to John he was looking at my “life” just beginning.

Ironically, that following Monday I received a forwarded email from my coach James Mooney from The Sport Changes Life Foundation based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was an application to become a Victory Scholar along with the opportunities to pursue a *FREE* masters degree, play professional basketball, along with doing work in the community through sport. I read this email slowly as I was printing out assignments for class and thought to myself, ‘this is for me”. In all aspects, that opportunity was what I wanted to do because I was already doing it at the undergraduate level. I was pursuing my undergraduate degree, playing collegiate basketball, and doing work with the youth through my non-profit program, Be You Stay True. I quickly applied, got my references, supplied supporting materials and was done with the initial application about a week later. Excited about this potential opportunity I reached out to a former teammate, James Zuccarro who was a part of this program after he graduated from CMSV in 2015. It was comforting to see someone I looked up to and knew personally take this leap of faith and know he came out as a better person from it. We talked about the lifestyle changes, the adjustments, the basketball, the food, literally everything. I have never been to Ireland, let alone Europe so this was going to be different for me and my family!

I was excited to know I moved on from the initial application and entered the next round. The next round was a series of Skype interviews with the Victory Scholar coordinator at the time, Aimee Shiels followed by another interview with the program's founders, Deirdre and Gareth Maguire. I was nervous, but I knew this program was meant for me. I wasn’t going to allow my fears to alter my pursuit of my goals. With the series of interviews done, it was just time to wait. Literally, sit back and wait for a decision to be made. I finished up my undergraduate classes, took my finals, enjoyed Senior Week festivities and on the week of graduation I received the email that I was selected as a Sport Changes Life Victory Scholar for the 2018 - 2019 academic year. Proud could be the word to describe what I felt. I was proud I was selected, I was proud I did the work to be selected, I was proud I was stepping out of my comfort zone and doing something I never even dreamed about as a kid. I finally found what I was going to be doing post graduation and it aligned perfectly with who I was! 

Fast forward through the summer of 2018, it is now August and it was time to say goodbye to my mom and hello to a life across the pond. I arrived in Belfast, Northern Ireland along with 33 other Victory Scholars from across the country including the United Kingdom. After a week of training and orientation at the SCL headquarters it was time to head two hours south to my home for the year Limerick, Ireland. To say I learned a lot is an understatement of my experience in Limerick. I learned every single day I was there. I learned things socially, academically, athletically, and personally about myself. Overall my biggest takeaway was that life can and is different in other places in this world. Everything is not always “as is” to when we grew up. Places are different, people are different, life is different for everyone and that is okay. 

During my time in Limerick I was able to do great things I would have never been able to do if I was selected for the NCAA Postgraduate Internship Program. I graduated with my Masters Degree in Marketing and Management Strategy. I played professional basketball in a European country. I won a college championship with friends I made in less than a year. I got to work with at risk youth teaching the game of basketball. I got to travel to Italy, Amsterdam, and London (for cheap) and experience even more culture changes. To round out this article, ALL of this and more wouldn’t have happened without the rejection from the NCAA. Although at that time, that position was all I wanted and thought was right for me, it wasn’t.

Although at that time, I was rejected I was also redirected into an amazing opportunity that has led me with a deeper understanding of cultures and unforgettable experiences in just one short year that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

I wrote this article in hopes to shine a light for my connections and beyond. Rejection can suck especially when it’s something we want so bad. We could have been qualified, we could have made changes to our life to prepare for that position, and more importantly we could have done every single thing right. Ultimately it wasn’t in the cards and you will be redirected to another position that was made for you. It may not seem that way all the time which is okay, but I’m sure through either your experiences or looking back you will see that redirection was meant to be. 

Take away this final thought from a book I’m rereading called, Tuesdays with Morrie. The main theme in Tuesdays With Morrie centers around what one can learn about life through death. The book is about a professor, Morrie Schwartz, who has ALS. One of Morrie's former students, Mitch Album, had Morrie as a professor in one of his classes in college. After learning about his slow death he reaches out to Morrie and decides to visit him every Tuesday in his home. In one of their meetings, Morrie shares this thought, “...Sometimes you cannot believe what you see, you have to believe what you feel.. even when you’re in the dark. Even when you’re falling.”

I use that quote because being rejected can feel like all hope is lost, as if it’s dark and you can’t see the light in the end of the tunnel. I’m here to tell you that I was there too. You probably were too and there will be millions of other people who feel in the “dark” after being rejected. In those times of rejection, much like Morrie said you will have to “believe what you feel” and believe in the redirection of your life will be worth the rejection.

If this has touched you in some way, leave a comment. Share this with a friend or colleague who may need this too!

-Drew