Lithgow Lazer Jaidyn Goodwin has scored a scholarship to attend university in the US to play college basketball.
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The 19-year-old said gaining a place at a university overseas has been his game plan for a number of years, boarding at Sydney’s Newington College to train with respected basketball coach Rex Nottage.
“I’ve just loved it since I picked the ball up. And my mum played.
“Once I went to Newington I realised I could take it further,” he said.
“Basketball’s an intellectual game, I guess. I just liked the intellectual side of it and that’s part of my strength - I am a smart player and I try to help everyone around me.”
Jaidyn played with the Lithgow Lazers up until the 14 and unders competition.
At the age of 15 Jaidyn was playing on Newington’s firsts side against senior students who were much taller, stronger and older than himself.
“Probably going to Newington College was sort of the start of that dream,” Jaidyn said.
“We had boys going in Year 12 to college in the US and that’s why I went down there [Sydney] to chase that and see if I had a chance.
“My game’s gone from strength to strength due to Coach Nottage. He is all about attitude. He just gave us a work ethic and respect and foundations and you can use that to develop your whole person.
“We trained every morning and every afternoon, bar Fridays, and then we played on a Saturday and basically Sunday we had shooting sessions as well.
“It was very full on so that was to mimic the college lifestyle and see if we want it.”
The colleges definitely wanted Jaidyn.
He travelled to the US to visit five universities that offered him a scholarship based on his basketball performance, finally settling on Metropolitan State University in Denver, Colorado, where he will play for the Roadrunners.
“I went to visit in early February and I had a look at the college along with some others, and I decided on Metro State,” he said.
“Their strong history with Australians, they’ve proven they can handle the international students because it is very different over there.”
Metropolitan State is the alma mater of Australian basketballer Nick Kay, who made his international debut for the Boomers in 2017.
“It’s quality basketball and I’ll get a chance to play and a chance to study, do a degree, and finish over there in four years," Jaidyn said.
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He plans to study biology but is keen to see how far basketball can take him.
“If I can play professionally for as long as I can, whether that be in Europe or Australia. But ideally I’ll go as far as I can go with it, and use basketball as a tool to get an education and see where it takes me from there.”
Jaidyn said that he knows a few friends who will be joining him studying in the US, including a fellow basketballer from Terrigal who will be joining Metro State women’s basketball program.
“There’s no Australian men there at the moment,” he said.
“I did my visit and I sort of got to know the teams and the coaches a bit so I do know people, it’s not just going in there blind.”
Jaidyn leaves for Denver on August 16.
“I’m excited. It’s bitter sweet, obviously with family being here. But I am going in to better things for my future and I am very excited, very keen.
“I’ll be back every year in May through to August again. So I might be able to fit a few games in if I’m allowed back with the Lazers.”