By Abby Garaban
An athlete’s journey is one of the key moments in life. The highs and lows make up your character. Being a Western New England University athlete had its impact on Golden Bear basketball player Kenny Flynn. Flynn graduated last year in 2022 with a degree in Sports Management—while also competing for four years on the men’s basketball team.
Choosing WNE came easy for Flynn. “It fit like a glove,” Flynn said. As a DIII athlete, you are not getting paid a cent to play a sport; it is all about the pure love you have for the sport and interest in the school for academics. The process of getting recruited for DIII is simpler than the rest. No promises are made. You go work hard, and see what happens. Flynn was an average player for the men’s basketball team. What separated him from the rest was his drive and passion for making his team better. He loved being on the team and making friendships that would last a lifetime.
He shined bright his freshman year. Not many freshmen get key minutes in DIII sports. He remembered his favorite play his freshman year when the coach drew up a play for him on senior night to get an alley-oop. He got up and dunked it. It had to be his best memory.
A couple years later, COVID came knocking at the door. It canceled the entire 2020- 2021 season. This was during Flynn’s Junior year, when maturity levels are supposed to be higher, and you are transitioning into a leader. During the 20-21 season, Flynn practiced for many months with no games in sight until the end in March. Their team got to play four games, getting the last two games canceled because of COVID. Due to COVID, the NCAA granted players an extra year of eligibility. Flynn did not take advantage of this opportunity. He played his senior year, becoming the team captain, and called it quits after.
“Looking back, I still think I made the right decision to not play. I felt as if my time was up, and I also kept injuring my ankle as well. I have no regrets and think everything happens for a reason.” Every athlete has big takeaways from their careers. Flynn said he was able to find his voice, gain confidence, and learned the importance of asking meaningful questions.
Flynn is now a part-time coach. He has mentored and trained tons of athletes at all levels.
When I asked Flynn what he looks for in a great coach, he replied, “What I look for in a great coach is when someone’s players will voluntarily hangout with them. Whether that be hanging out in the coach’s office or getting in a workout. This shows the trust and strong relationship between the coach and player.” At the end of the day, it’s bigger than basketball. Having someone to impact your life in a positive way will lead you to do great things on and off the court.
My last question for Kenny Flynn was, “Do you believe that you have mental toughness?” He took a few minutes to consider his answer.
“I think I have mental toughness. Playing any sport at a DIII level, you need mental toughness. The reason being that you’re committed to a team for the pure love of the game. You’re not getting any scholarship or money in return. That’s an element of toughness in itself.”
