To Coach Leyden:

Thank you for driving to Rhode Island to recruit me at my high school games. For calling me twice a week my senior year of high school and leaving a voicemail every time I didn’t answer. You’ve cared from the beginning, and you gave me the chance to play five years of basketball on what is now my favorite court in my favorite city. Thank you for understanding that there is a mental aspect to sports.

 

Since I was young, I’ve been known to flip a switch on the court from time to time. I’ve cried, screamed, slapped the floor between foul shots, thrown chairs, slammed balls, intentionally fouled opponents, and everyone’s favorite, kicked Natalie’s water bottle over the bleachers at Endicott. Mistakes led to overwhelming anger and anxiety, and while I’m not proud of this behavior, I am proud of the passion that led to it, something you helped me realize.

 

You were patient with me anytime I lost control of my emotions. Since you understood how devastating mistakes can feel after so much hard work, you validated my struggles rather than expecting me to be able to hide them. You accepted me for everything I am, not just my ability to put the ball in the basket, and provided a friend for me in times where I felt guilty and despondent about my behavior. Your support has allowed me to grow more in the past five years than I have in my entire life. You always reminded me that hard work pays off, not only when I played well, but when I was frustrated. These words kept me from becoming complacent when I was on top, and gave me hope when I felt like I was on the bottom. I will miss joking with you everyday at practice, and hearing your wisdom. "Inch by inch life’s a cinch," will forever remain in my vocabulary! Five years flew by, and I’m still trying to figure out a way to squeeze in a sixth. Until then, I’ll be trying to stay on the sunny side of the street.

 

To my teammates:

Thank you for being my best friends and keeping this experience light from beginning to end. I know it might be hard to believe after that paragraph you just read about how much I love Coach Leyden, but there were times when I didn’t play a lot of minutes in my Suffolk jersey. Even though it was hard to sit on the bench in the early years of my career, I never stopped having fun. I credit this to my teammates. I am lucky to be so heartbroken not to spend everyday with these people anymore.

 

As most college freshmen are, I was nervous when I arrived at Suffolk. But I was met by the most welcoming team I’ve ever been a part of. I couldn’t wait to get to pickup, lift, practice, or my teammates' apartments to hang out. I never had headphones in on the bus ride to games, the people around me were too entertaining to block out. From games of mafia with Shewiff Cwamps, to listening to Whole Lotta Money and 2016 XXL Cypher on repeat, we never had a dull trip to or from a game. Even through adversity, we enjoyed almost every moment. Like when our gym flooded and we had to drive to Emmanuel early in the morning to practice, or walk to Emerson late at night. Or when the pandemic forced us to practice in small groups and play games with no fans. Or this year when almost our whole team got COVID at some point, we played three games with seven kids. We never hesitated to make the most of those new challenges and I think our records and relationships reflect that.

 

Some people’s love for their sport dies in college, so I am intensely grateful to have been part of a team that allowed mine to grow. It hurts worse than I thought it would to leave Suffolk basketball behind, but it’s because this team has influenced who I am and will continue to be as a person, and given me some of the best moments of my life. I know it’s a community I’ll be part of forever.

 

To Carolyn Rea (Cramps):

Thank you for being crazy with me for five years. Your speech at Salve about how you have to be at least a little crazy to win games is the epitome of Suffolk Basketball (especially us). You kept me in line when I needed it, but never without making sure I was okay. You instilled confidence in me when I needed it most. Before a game at Emmanuel you rebounded for me and told me my performance that day wasn’t based on the previous game or how I was feeling about myself, but all the work I had put in over the summer. I carried that with me every game for the next three years. Thank you for coming up with the idea for us to visualize before games this year. I’ll miss us sitting like crazy people on the bleachers during shootarounds, eyes closed while you talked me through what the ups and downs of the game could look like. You even predicted a rejected screen layup in the first possession one game! Definitely keep that going with future players who need it. You are amazingly sensitive and strong, and I am so grateful to have had you by my side for the past five years.

 

To Al Quadri:

Thank you for coming to preseason pickup my freshman year and working with me the way you did. Thank you for taking the time to do individual workouts and play 1 v 1 with me, you’re a beast and always will be. Most importantly, thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Your wisdom has guided me through many of the toughest times, and your humor highlights many of my fondest memories of Suffolk Basketball. You’ve managed to be both a role model and friend to so many of us. I’ll miss giving you the side eye at practice everyday, but I know we have each other for life.

 

To Meg Foley:

Thank you for getting it. For understanding how deep this sport goes. How fun it is to work hard, and see that hard work pay off. How agonizing mistakes can feel. How if you love basketball more than anything else, it’s the worst feeling in the world to have your career end. You kept it real with me after my last game because you know how it feels, and I’ve found a strange comfort in that truth. You’re going to be an absolute force of a coach, Meg, considering you put in the work of a head coach as a grad assistant. Thanks for everything, boss.

 

To my family:

Thank you for my whole basketball career. Every pair of sneakers and shorts. Every ride to practice and games. Every opportunity I’ve had to play basketball: the hoop in our driveway, the YMCA when I was 7, countless summer camps, AAU, college basketball, I owe to my parents. To my dad for driving me all over Rhode Island for AAU practices, and all over the east coast for tournaments. You were as dedicated to my career as I was, without overstepping. I think you missed one game in fifteen years of basketball. During our no fans year, everyone would ask who was going to bring me my bag of snacks and drinks before the game. While my multiple snack bags at games and halftime fruit cups might’ve seemed silly to everyone else, you always made sure I had what I needed. Your generosity has impacted all the teams I’ve been on, whether it be custom T-shirts or a pregame meal, you’ve always wanted to share love with my coaches, teammates, and their parents.

 

To mama, thank you for putting up with a 15-year emotional rollercoaster. Thank you for crocheting and reading during warm ups of my game. People may think you did this because you were bored, but I know it’s because you were worked up about the game! You’ve given me books to help with my emotional struggles on the court, even one after my career ended for former college athletes. Gestures like these plus your interest in my dream of being a writer have given me a glimpse of hope for life after basketball. I wouldn’t choose anyone but you to back me up, Krissy.

 

To my sister Jules, thank you for supporting me even though I used to beat you up when we played 1-on-1. I missed having you close enough to come to every game in college, but could always text you if I needed help. I’m trying not to get sappy with you because I know you’re going to laugh at me, but it’s hard when you’re my favorite person in the whole world, and the one I admire most. I wish I could shoot foul shots one more time just so you could say “come on Gab, you got this, woo!” Jules, Mama, (Louie) and Dad, thank you for carrying me through my basketball career. I couldn’t have done it without you.