Tom Connelly '21 Recruiting Profile

My collegiate goals and aspirations are to be able to continue playing the game I love and at the same time receive the best education possible.  I am fortunate enough to be able to play this great game at a level where I can make an impact not only on the court, but off it as well.  Through the East summer camps, I have been able to positively impact younger kids lives is just one of the benefits I've received from playing basketball.

The discipline required to be as good a player as I can be has helped me in the classroom as well.  There are a lot of distractions in high school that can negatively affect my work in the classroom as well as my play on the court.  Having the drive and the desire to be as good a player on the court and off requires discipline and the ability to prioritize what is important in my life.  After my family, my team and teammates come first.  Understanding that what I do in the classroom and how hard I work on my game can have an incredibly positive influence on those around me.  My goal is to lead by example in anything I do.  

As far as my coaches, I am fortunate enough to play for one of the legends in the game.  Rudy Carey, my head coach at East High, is someone who is not only knowledgeable about the game, but is also someone who is helping me mature into a better young man. Along with the assistants they are pushing me to be the best player and person I can be.

While I know I can do other things on the court, my best skill is shooting.  My ability to shoot helps open up the floor for others to do what they do best by creating more floor spacing and less traffic near the rim.  I am always working to improve my overall game and will continue to do so.

As far as the game itself, I still have so much to learn and my goal is to keep playing as long as I can before looking for other opportunities in the business of basketball.