Nothing sounds better than a fresh start after a year like 2020. With sports on hold for a while, this gave student athletes time to sit down and reflect on their lives outside of their sport. A few members of the Men’s Basketball team took some time to self reflect and set New Year’s resolutions. 

Freshman Guard Colby Gennett said his New Year’s resolution was to “simply enjoy life during the pandemic.” 

“2020 will be viewed as a dark time for a while but for me, I saw it as an opportunity to grow as a person,” Gennett said. 

Gennett said he just wanted to be better whether it was for basketball or not. He said he took full advantage of all the free time that got put into his life. 

“This pandemic gave me the opportunity to remember what life is all about, enjoying it,” Gennett said. “The time spent with my family doing activities we were never able to do because of a crazy basketball schedule will always be remembered and well needed.” 

Gennett said he’ll never take playing basketball for granted. He said it was a struggle trying to find an open park to shoot hoops at. Usually Gennett has access to indoor basketball courts, but due to COVID-19 restrictions that was no longer a possibility. 

“By doing the little things like making DIY projects to help dribbling and shooting at your house, that made the difference,” Gennett said. “It’s the little things in life that are now so important during this time.”

Freshman forward Gaige Ainslie said he has learned that your life can change completely in one day. 

“This year I want to be more mindful and thankful for what I have and to also take advantage of everything I have been given so I can become the best man I can be,” Ainslie said. 

Ainslie said everything that happened last year has made him work harder because he didn’t know whether or not he was going to be able to workout consecutive days at certain gyms due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

“I thought that if I worked hard with the little resources I had then once I am back to a gym and weight room every day, I would be one of the hardest workers, because I knew what it was like to have nothing,” Ainslie said. 

CWU’s men’s basketball team finished last season 17-11 falling just short of a playoff run. In the upcoming season head coach Brandon Rinta says he will make sure his team is well prepared for the season. 

Rinta said COVID-19 has given the coaching staff more time to look at the game at a much deeper level and says the staff is way better because of it.