Anthony Potratz '21 Recruiting Profile

    People in my life have influenced different beliefs and values that I still hold on to today. My parents have been a team with helping me understand what is right and what is wrong. They have taught me ever since I was old enough to understand them, that I have to work hard with everything I do. They told me that I always need to try my best to get to where I want to go in life and I have held onto that. If I ever want to get a job, or go play sports at the collegiate level, then I need to do everything in my power to get there. I was also non verbally taught that life doesn’t go how you envisioned it to sometimes. I was taught this by my Uncle Jim, who passed away from a heart attack a couple of years ago. He always believed in me to play basketball at the collegiate level, and I remember going to a basketball camp in St. Louis so he could come and watch me play. I have always wanted to go play in college and then have him there so I could show him I made it, but life took it a different way and it’s not always the way you want it to go. I learned that you have to persevere through whatever happens and to keep on shooting for your goals. 

I have learned many lessons in my life to try to get another step closer to the goals that I am searching for. When I was in seventh grade, my coach demanded my basketball team to write down the goals that we want to accomplish in life. Ever since then I have been following those goals that I set for myself. The first goal on my list is to have a 4.0 GPA in high school. Maintaining that GPA has not been super easy so far. I have had to work very hard in my classes to make sure that I kept an A in the class. Another goal that I have set for myself is that I want to go to college and play a sport. A lot of people have told me that it is an unrealistic dream, but I keep on working towards it. I went to the Snow Valley Basketball Camp at Wartburg College. I learned a lot from the coaches there, and I have a lot to work on to get to the next level. The main point that I have learned is that if you keep on working hard then you will achieve your goals. I worked hard to maintain a 4.0 and to start on varsity sports as a freshman in high school, and I did that, so I have to keep on working up to my next goals. I wish to attend college to play basketball and to get my teaching degree. I would like to teach high school mathematics and coach high school sports. I have been a varsity triathlete since my freshman year, and I believe I have the work ethic, teamwork, talent, and leadership abilities to compete on a college team.