Cedars, December 2017

SPORTS Blackburn Rejoins Varsity Basketball Team by Jacob Coolidge S ean Blackburn started playing bas- ketball when he is was in the seventh grade. His first love was football, but he eventually fell in love with the game of basketball and focused solely on it. “When I got to middle school, I started playing for my school team, and started to take it seriously when I got to high school,” Blackburn said. Blackburn, a senior broadcasting and digital media major from Columbus, Ohio, eventually found his way to Cedarville Uni- versity, and this is where he is now, with a spot on the varsity basketball team. After Blackburn got to Cedarville, the next portion of his journey began. Black- burn made the roster in his freshman and sophomore year but failed to see much playing time. During his junior year, due to outside circumstances, Blackburn was not able to play for the team and had to take on a student assistant role. Though this time off the court was hard for Blackburn there were certain benefits. “God taught me more about myself last year than I could imagine,” Blackburn said. Even though Blackburn learned a lot and worked hard as an assistant, it was very apparent to him that he needed to be on the court for his senior season. So, that’s exactly what he set out to do. Luckily for Blackburn, working out is some- thing he enjoys to do. Staying in shape wasn’t going to be a big issue for him. However, he did need to stay in good basketball shape. Last summer was crucial in determin- ing if Blackburn would make the team for his senior season, he said. “The summer leading into this year was going to be a big factor in if I played again,” Blackburn said. With a year away from basketball, there are always questions of whether a player will be able to return to full strength or not. Even though Blackburn wasn’t injured, he wasn’t playing high-level competitive bas- ketball. That meant he had to work hard to get his speed and agility back. He also had to make sure his shot was on target and that he could keep up defensively. “I had the best summer I have had since I have been in college lifting and basketball wise, so I decided to play,” Blackburn said. With head coach Patrick Estepp’s sup- port and the desire to finish out his college career on the court with his best friends, Blackburn rejoined the team and earned a varsity spot. Blackburn said he is excited for the op- portunity to pour into younger players and help lead his team to victory. “Obviously, I would like to win, but see- ing the improvement in some of the younger players is what I like to see the most,” Black- burn said. Blackburn has established himself a leader off the court. He provides a voice of reason and honesty to the players and coaches he interacts with. He is a friend and role model to younger players. Blackburn has aspirations to move on from basketball and be a reporter for the NBA someday. He has a passion for the game and a superior knowledge for reading the flow of play. He looks forward to chasing after dreams past college basketball. While these have been some of the best years of his life he is so excited for what comes next, Black- burn said. “It is all about having the right mind- set, and knowing that what you’re working towards is worth it,” Blackburn said. Jacob Coolidge is an RA on campus in Brock. He is an Accelerated Biblical Studies major. He loves sports and always has. He looks forward to incorporating sports into his ministry in his future. Photo by Lydia Wolterman Sean Blackburn looks to lead the team through his experience. Photo by Lydia Wolterman Sean Blackburn attempts a layup in traffic in a game on Nov. 17 against Miami-Hamilton. December 2017 17