The Evening Leader

Austin Parks: Basketball is more than a game

By BRENT MELTON Staff Reporter

St. Marys Memorial High School’s basketball program is about to graduate one of their best players to ever grace the court. Austin Parks has broken numerous school records, and will be playing collegiate basketball for the Ohio State University next season.

When I sat down with Parks, I asked him if he’d done a lot of interviews, to which he nodded his head and said that he had. I then warned him that this would probably be a bit different, because I’m not a sports reporter, to which he laughed. By the end of the interview, Parks told me that our interview would be one that he would remember for a long time for just how different it was.

The first thing I asked Parks was what he likes about the game.

“Its something that I can really do, that I excel at, and that I enjoy,” said Parks. After he answered, he sat in the chair thinking about how he wanted to finish that thought.

“I don’t know how to explain or say this”, said Parks after mulling it over briefly. “It really relaxes me, being able to go out there and do what I do and excelling. I really just like going out there and doing my own thing.”

He explained that playing basketball puts him into a zone where he enjoys it.

“I never really thought about it like that. Go out there and relax out there,” said Parks. He said that growing up in St. Marys that he has played with his teammates his whole life.

“Building up relationships with coaches, and people I played with, and against, and built great memories,” he said before continuing. “A lot of lessons to be taught too I guess.”

Parks explained that those lessons aren’t only about winning, but losses as well.

“You’re not always

going to succeed, there are ups and downs. Fighting through adversity, coming back from a bad loss, be it in a game in the sport you play, or in the real world,” Parks said. He paused to consider what he was going to say next before continuing. “Its not always going to be wins or great games, its going to be down times too. Learning to come back from those is extremely important.”

As for his talents, Parks said that he didn’t notice how good he was until he started his freshman year. He said that no mater the sport, be it baseball, football, or basketball, he said he always stood out.

“My skills didn’t come until my freshman year. I got a lot more coordinated,” said Parks. Getting more skills and coordination though, was aided by a change in coaches. Parks was a bit nervous in how to word his response about coaching, because it was clear he valued what he had been taught, but that there was a noticeable change in high school.

“In high school, these coaches were a few levels up from what I had before. Be it Memorial or the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union), they’ve been through a lot of situations and have been able to apply that to me, and make me a better player all together,” explained Parks. He said that the realization that he was good, hit him when his first offer letters from schools arrived at his door.

“Before then it was all talk. Coaches told me ‘this is coming for you, you might not see it. People will tell you they want you to play for them’. At the end of my junior year, they started to roll in,” said Parks. Parks had a candid moment, where he showed that there was a lot of pressure on him and his potential.

“Telling the truth,” said Parks before hesitantly continuing. “They have a lot of faith in me and think I can help them succeed.”

Parks admitted that he feels pressure in different ways.

“If there is pressure for me to do good in a game, I focus on what I need to do,” said Parks before continuing. “When I had to decide where I wanted to play, that was pressure I’d never felt.”

He said that choosing where to go was a tough decision because all of his options, he felt were good.

“Telling schools, that are great schools, that I wanted to go a different direction, were the hardest phone calls I had to make,” explained Parks, then continued. “Pressure in games I don’t feel it as much, I focus on what I need to do, and go do it.”

As Parks prepares to head off to The Ohio State University, he isn’t going in looking to just play basketball.

“I want to get more lessons. Hopefully they don’t get to me too hard,” said Parks. Part of these lessons that he wants to learn, revolve around being an adult, out in the real world. “I want to learn a lot more because its going to teach me about the real world and how I’m going to live in the world. Its going to give me valuable lessons about life.”

As for basketball, parks is very down to earth with the realities of playing professionally, but that isn’t stopping him from trying to fulfill his dream.

“The overall dream is to go pro. Now that I’ve made the progress I have, and that I’ve improved, that dream is becoming closer to a reality, and its not quite there,” said Parks. As we sat and discussed his dream, he was very open about what making dreams become a reality has done for him.

“Having the ability to make dreams into reality is a great feeling. These coaches at OSU are going to help me make my dream happen,” he said before continuing. “Right now pro isn’t the goal for me, the goal is to have a successful career in college, because that’s the next step.”

He said that he wants to continue to improve his game as he makes his way through college.

“Right now I need to worry about getting to that level at college because I’ll be going against some of the best kids in the country. They’re going to do their best to beat me,” said Parks.

Going to The Ohio State University brings with it opportunities off the court as well, and those opportunities are ones that Parks said he plans on taking advantage of.

“Education is extremely important because I know that my chances are slim to none, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try for it,” said Parks of the reality of making it to the NBA. His education, he said, is also tied to his future, no matter how his career turns out.

“They’re giving me the opportunity to pursue whatever job I want to in the future. Its always great to set something back. I don’t have the mindset that its going to happen,” said Parks. As we continued discussing his education, he said something that speaks to who Austin Parks really is. “I’m humble enough to know that I can get my classes, get my grades up, and have a job after that if the NBA doesn’t work out. I’ve always been preached upon by coaches, teachers, and my parents, that school is the number one priority.”

Being humble, while excelling at his chosen sport, is something that Parks exudes when you talk with him about his teammates.

“I know I can’t do it all myself. I depend on my teammates, having a lot of faith in them is important,” said Parks. He said that his team mates also understand that he needs them as well.

“For them to do their part helps me out tremendously. Teams focus on me, and they let my teammates do what they want,” said Parks before continuing. “When we come together, thats when you see we’re playing great basketball.”

Parks said that the season is really two parts; the beginning where things may not be working well, and the end where great basketball exists.

“At the start of the season we’re not always on the same page. You can see it sometimes when we play like crap. I wish it were all at the end of the season, because it all comes together,” said Parks

Being a standout athlete also has its drawbacks, and those drawbacks are something Parks realizes are shared by fellow student athletes.

“It was really tough at the beginning of high school when you’re a freshman or sophomore,” said Parks. He said that part of that is due to rigidity of the schedules.

“Now that I’m older, and I can leave, it frees up my schedule. When it was nonstop school then afterwards two and a half hours of practice, go home spend time with the family, and homework, it was everyday,” explained Parks before continuing. “It gets tiring. Any athlete in high school understands.”

“Is it stressful or tiring? I can see that 100 percent in any student,” said Parks.

For the future, Parks has a clear vision.

“I really just want to leave my mark and let people know, that the people who brought me up and raised me, they did a good job,” said Parks. He wants them to see him in his life, even outside of basketball, as a great person.

“Seeing me as a great individual whether that be basketball, school, raising a family, or whatever it can be. I want them to know they raised me the right way. I want to be great like the people around me that brought me up,” said Parks.

Evening

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2023-04-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-04-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://the-evening-leader.pressreader.com/article/281496460548953

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