By Alejandra Hernandez
As graduation time approaches in York there are many senior athletes who deserve recognition.
Shawn Nemoto is a member of York College’s Men’s Track and Field team, as well as a member of the Men’s Volleyball team. Nemoto first became interested in joining the Track and Field team after high school as a way to get healthier both physically and mentally.
“Doing it for fun was great but doing it competitively is a thrill that nothing can really replicate,” says Nemoto, a Health Science major.
After graduating Nemoto plans to continue running as it has kept him healthy both physically and mentally. And hopes to play volleyball competitively, since he finds it to be very fun, in outside leagues to maintain his skills in the sport.
“One of my major accomplishments was receiving the Sportsmanship award for cross country twice, once during my freshman year and again during my last season of the sport in college. While I can’t say it myself, I think this solidified my confidence in knowing that I had made friends on various college teams and although we had to be competitive with everyone, I still enjoyed bonding and making friends at these meets, as well as treating everyone with respect and motivating everyone to finish the race,” said Nemoto.
As an aspiring physician assistant, Nemoto has learned a lot about the anatomy and physiology of the human body, while being in many of York’s sports teams. He is confident in knowing how to treat and prevent injuries.
Nemoto emphasized the importance of the teams being a set of mixed and diverse student-athletes which helped create a sense of family where everyone could rely on one another.
“I just want to thank all the coaches, my teammates and athletic staff for persevering through these tough times and pushing through all that we have dealt with in these past few years,” said Nemoto. “They have all taught me many lessons and have made athletics in college memorable and worthwhile.”
Another senior athlete is Taylor Bellmon, part of York’s Women’s Softball team and Women’s Basketball team. Other than basketball being the main sport she grew up playing, she also wrestled, ran track, and participated in bike riding.
“Two moments I really keep on my mind are, first when we played Lehman college (our home game) I had made my first ever college home run,” said Bellmon, a Movement Science major. “Second is when I caught a challenging ball in the outfield, also a home game this past Wednesday against Brooklyn college.”
After graduation Bellmon plans on going to PT school and possibly taking up coaching. When she receives CUNY acknowledgments/awards it encourages her even more because it shows that her dedication and hard work are being applauded. Bellmon expressed that being surrounded by positive energy and encouragement from the coach and teammates really helped with her growing process.
“Having a strong positive dedicated environment will ultimately drive you to accomplish your goal also,” says Bellmon. “‘Don’t practice until you get it right, practice until you can’t get it wrong.’”
Finally, there is Quran Dublin, a member of York’s Men’s Basketball team. Growing up he remembers seeing his dad and his dad’s friends play basketball and remembers the feeling of wanting to join them. Being from Harlem has played a vital role in shaping him into the player he is today on the court.
“What pushed me to play this sport was when I got cut from my high school team freshman year. But me being cut and that feeling of failing and not making the team, I never wanted to feel that ever again” said Dublin, a Business Administration major.
Although basketball was not his first choice, pursuing football helped him realize how passionate he was about basketball. He felt an overall love and joy every time he stepped on the court. It was his safe place where he could be whomever he wanted to be, letting his creativity and imagination run free.
“Well after graduating I plan to pursue my basketball dreams and continue playing overseas. I have an invitation to an exposure event in Vegas this upcoming July, that I’ve been preparing myself for. But aside from that standpoint, I’ve been working as a skills trainer giving back to anyone who needs help in developing their game. Apart from the basketball aspect, as far as a career, I want to get into real estate. I just have so many opportunities and doors open for basketball that it’s not leaving as much room for real estate. But once the smoke clears and I have everything settled, I’ll definitely be getting myself involved in the real estate world” says Dublin.
Dublin expresses that his skills from basketball helped him with his life overall. He points out that having positive energy no matter where you are is very important. This year’s experience of playing for York’s Men’s Basketball team offered Dublin perspective on certain things within the court as well as off the court. His ability to be patient and give basketball knowledge to his teammates and help them have a better understanding of the game was transformed into a whole new level this year, unlike other years with different teams.
Although it’s bittersweet to see senior athletes Shawn Nemoto, Taylor Bellmon and Quran Dublin leave. The experiences and skills obtained by York’s sports teams will get them far in their careers. All of the senior athletes definitely created some sort of family within their teams and at York overall. We hope they have successful career paths and can’t wait to see all their accomplishments.
