I have long said the hardest thing for kids to do is to get to the finish line. Thats the line at the end of the road before college starts. It’s the end of that long road a kid starts on when they dream of playing at the next level begins. It’s that road filled with so many ups and downs. Tears and cheers along the way. Now as the finish line nears things get a little fuzzy. The college is waiting, the dream has come true. All that is left is to cross the line. A line too many fail to reach on there way to college. ABBY FERGUSON is not just getting to the finishing line… She is racing though it!!!
When a player plays that last game as a senior in high school. They often want to take a breath. When they get that scholarship to that dream school they often want to soak it in. They want to enjoy time with family and friends. Abby Ferguson is clearly not in that mode. She is a on a mission before her arrival to Colgate. These days she working harder than she ever worked before her dreams even came true. I’m sure there is a senior on there way to college next year who is working as hard as ABBY FERGUSON. Now of course that senior is some where on planet Mars or in a dream. That’s because if you ever think you know someone with Abby Ferguson’s work ethic, just slap yourself for thinking such silly thoughts.
I watched Abby Ferguson wage a one women personal war in the SCT vs. Manasquan this year. I laughed inside because many were surprised that Abby Ferguson could be so dominate on offense. That’s because Abby Ferguson gives you what you need, not want you want. I remember when she hit back to back deep three’s last summer to save the U 17 HGSL Shoreshots late in their biggest game of the summer. That was ABBY just giving you what you need. I remember her dominating Toms River North in big game an important game at the time. It was pure Abby Ferguson giving you want you need. You see Abby is about giving you what you need. Colgate University needs her to be ready from day one next year… trust me Abby Ferguson is going to give them what they need.
Not much has changed in Abby Ferguson’s basketball life. She makes time daily to get her work in. She works no different today than she worked as a 5th grader. She shows up at hoop group and shoots for 2 hours. Then she rolls right into Point Guard or Core Skills depending on the day. The weekends she checks in on where we are were shooting. There are no excuses, about weight training, school work, parties, travel. Nope it just getting ready and being prepared for college. She is simply doing all the things she has done in the past. She is sprinting towards the finish line. She is covering all bases. Abby Ferguson is about to have the type of freshman year in college so many dream about but don’t know how or want to prepare for.
These days it seems Abby Ferguson is always hustling. I see other seniors, talking, sitting watching, waiting around for workouts. I see Abby Ferguson afraid to waste a second. Soon NBS will start and she will add that to her grind. I will invite her to college pickup and she won’t miss a day. Maybe Abby is just scared, fearful that she will miss something. Maybe she has just not grownup and just works as if she’s still that skinny little wide eyed girl with big hopes and dreams so many years ago. Maybe just maybe the system didn’t catch up with her. Maybe she never developed an ego … maybe she is just different from everyone else
The clock is ticking and soon Abby Ferguson will walk on the Colgate Campus and Coach ”G” will fall in love with her. She fall in love with her once in a lifetime work ethic. She fall in love with how more Prepared Abby is than everyone else. How she doesn’t take shore cuts or finds excuses. But most of all she will fall in love with how Abby Ferguson knows how to close… that’s because right now she is best closer in the business. She is making the hardest thing for kids to do look easy.. she is getting to the finish line!
