Our Wildwood, Winter 2018, Volume 42

w i l d w o o d a t h l e t i c s

by Cerentha Harris, WILDWOOD PARENT

LIFE LESSONS: Basketball, Transitions, and Heart

Transitions loom large in the lives of Wildwood senior Moreau H. and alumnus Everett Dayton ’14.

One will head to college this year, and the other will graduate. Both started at Wildwood in kindergarten, and both became involved in athletics—football, track, and, basketball. Everett is currently the starting point guard and team captain at Tufts University where he has played since his freshman year. The lessons they learned participating in school sports are helping them navigate with grace and heart the significant life changes now facing them.

WW: How has being a student-athlete at Wildwood helped you with transitions?

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MOREAU: It helped me because I always had an immediate group of friends. Ever since my first season at Wildwood playing basketball, I have always known the team will have a special place in my heart and I will have lifelong friends. Even though it is sometimes hard to balance schoolwork with sports, I wouldn’t trade my basketball family for anything.

“ I understand what it means to trust someone and how important it is to take risks.

WW: What are some of your favorite memories of playing at Wildwood?

EVERETT: My freshman year at Wildwood our team was playing in the second round of the playoffs against a team that was ranked higher than we were. Their school had brought fans and a cheerleading squad, but they were no match for the parent and student section that Wildwood brought out. Seeing my friends from all grades and all the parents dancing and cheering their hearts out—and then storming the court when we won—was something I’ll never forget.

WW: What life lessons did you learn playing sports at Wildwood?

MOREAU: Being part of a team helped me appreciate sportsmanship, collaboration, and pushing myself to the limit. The work ethic that is needed to be successful on the basketball court is how hard I should be working in school and in whatever else I do. I learned what it’s like to have others depend on you and how to depend on others. I understand what it means to trust someone and how important it is to take risks. At the same time, I learned how to be smart when taking a risk and making the logical choice in times of intense struggle. Keeping poise and staying present are some of the key ways to be successful in basketball and in life.

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