Andrew Aafedt '18 Recruiting Profile

Ever since I was a young child, I have dreamed about being an NBA basketball player. Like most young boys, I envisioned myself being the player who could run from center court, neatly and effortlessly dunking the ball in the net.  I looked up to Carmelo Anthony, my personal Denver Nugget.  He exemplified everything I wanted to be: talented, focused, and the guy who could make the last-second shot, sweeping his team to victory.  While at first my studying of the game was surface-level, I soon learned to analyze the defense.  My studying took hours at a time - I was committed.

Now, as a player at the high school level, I similarly focus on watching games, but this time, they are my own. Almost daily I watch earlier basketball games, trying to pick up on areas for improvement and areas of increasing strength.  The Littleton High School video, for example, revealed that I was being too passive, and because of my actions (or inactions), I didn’t set myself up for scoring opportunities.  I took this failure seriously, thinking through my plays and practicing at home, and when it came time to play D’evlyn, a pivotal game of the season, my studying paid off. A fast paced game, I tried to control the tempo, no longer being passive as I had in the past, and this resulted in my scoring in the paint. The result? We won the game!

Basketball is like a game of chess; each move I make is counteracted by my opponent, and I must foresee what might come of every play. This commitment is like a job for me.  My little black notebook is kept on my desk, next to my laptop. It is here that I organize my notes about the game; after all, becoming a better playing is a serious endeavor. On page three you would find a column titled “Needs Improvement,” and on the other sides, I’ve noted “Strengths.”  You see, it’s not enough to just take note of what I did well; I must also be intentional about my plans for improvement.  The fact that my notebook sits prominently on my desk makes me aware and reminds me daily to be the best I can be.   A regular player follows the motions of the game, but a great player uses strategy.

Though I’ve always pictured myself playing with Kobe Bryant or Allen Iverson, I am also a realist, and while I’m pretty good at basketball, it is unlikely I will play in the NBA.  However, I can still take the skills I’ve learned through this sport and make them useful in other areas. Because of my strategic approach to whatever I encounter, I am considering a career in computer applications. I’ve always wanted to learn the ins and outs of programming, but unfortunately, this opportunity has not been offered at my high school.  Similarly, I’ve thought about a career in business, specifically sales or marketing.  

In basketball, with the skills I’ve developed and my self-awareness, I’ve learned to become a better player and teammate.  When thinking about college and my future career, I plan on using the beginning of college to strategically assess my opportunities and choices.  Hopefully, as in basketball, I will be able to determine my strengths and in which areas I need to improve, thus making wise decisions about an academic major and career path.

My little black book will always sit on my desk, but I imagine the content within will change. Whether delving into computer applications or my next business plan, my book will motivate me, outlining my latest strategy to become my best self, just like in basketball.