JACOB BRANTLEY '18 Recruiting Profile

The game of basketball has taught me many life lessons that have played a large part in shaping my character.  Basketball is more than just a physical sport, it offers those who study the game so much more.  Midway through my junior basketball season, I experienced an ankle fracture that sidelined me for the remainder of the season.  I was devastated. My team was poised to go to regionals and possibly further.  I was team captain and felt a tremendous amount of guilt, feeling that I had let my team down.  While I supported my team from the bench, I vowed to do everything within my control to make myself a healthier and better athlete.  I took a close look at everything that I had done leading up to my injury from the type of shoe that I played in to my use of proper stretching techniques while training.  I also took a close look at my nutritional goals and made the decision to adapt a pescatarian diet complete with healthy fruit and vegetables.  These changes were effective and helped me to realize my weight and health goals. I have worked hard to be a better athlete and player than I was previously. I have been a leader on the court as team captain for the last two years as well as a leader off the court in my volunteer and National Honor Society activities.  I  am  a hardworking, focused team player and I am ready to play basketball at the collegiate level.

My experience with a sports related injury  piqued my interest in the study of Kinesiology  and Orthopedics as a career choice.  I am interested in the physiology of body mechanics and the prevention of injury and the restoration of function. Basketball has taught me to how to deal with both heartache and joy, setbacks and accomplishments.  Basketball has been instrumental in my development as a young man and has also influenced my career choice and path for my future.  I have been fortunate for all that I have experienced playing the game.  It has been an invaluable resource for me in the game of life.