Kyion Flanders, Business Studies
Kyion Flanders hopes his days playing basketball won鈥檛 end after he graduates from Stockton with a degree in Business Studies.
The two-time New Jersey Athletic Conference wants to play in a professional league overseas.
鈥淕rowing up as a kid, I always wanted to be able to travel the world,鈥 said the Wildwood native. 鈥淭he opportunity to play overseas gives me the chance to do so and get paid to play the sport I love.鈥
Many of his favorite college memories come from his time as an Osprey in the NCAA Division III Tournament the last two seasons. He said being a student-athlete gave him a unique opportunity that not every student experiences.
鈥淚 was able to accomplish a lot for this program during my time here. But I think I speak for most athletes when I say being a student-athlete isn鈥檛 easy. Often you may feel like there are no breaks,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut I was able to balance myself between school and hoops, and I couldn鈥檛 have chosen a better school and program to do that with.鈥
That doesn鈥檛 mean it was easy to juggle athletics and academics as Flanders said he often took four or more classes during the basketball season, which starts during the fall semester and extends into March depending on how well the team performs.
鈥淚 love basketball and everything that comes with it, but there was rarely a time I could relax and stay up on my work,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 knew if I didn鈥檛 do well in class, I wouldn鈥檛 be able to hoop, so I worked even harder in class.鈥
But he said the desire to play forced him to learn how to plan and become more organized.
鈥淥nce I had everything planned out, school became a lot easier and smoother to cope with while playing basketball,鈥 Flanders said.
I was able to accomplish a lot for this program during my time here. But I think I speak for most athletes when I say being a student-athlete isn鈥檛 easy... I was able to balance myself between school and hoops, and I couldn鈥檛 have chosen a better school and program to do that with.鈥
And the friendships he developed from the basketball team he hopes will last him the rest of his life.
鈥淚 have had the best experience I could have at Stockton, and it wouldn鈥檛 be possible without the teammates I came across,鈥 he said. 鈥淣ow I have friends who I know will have great futures ahead of them.鈥
If playing basketball doesn鈥檛 work out, Flanders still wants to be involved with the game, maybe as a college assistant coach. But he also has another plan after basketball.
鈥淚 plan on using my Stockton degree to eventually open my own restaurant,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 would strongly consider myself a foodie, and on top of that I like to cook myself. If there were specific foods I would sell, the top of the list would be soul food, seafood and barbecue.鈥
