By Dakota Dobrovich-Fago, Staff Writer
Whether he is on the court for the men’s basketball team or in the classroom, senior John Kozinski is constantly setting an example. Hailing from West Chester, Pa., when the 6-foot-5 forward was a senior in high school he was unsure about his plans after graduation.
“Part of me wanted to go to Temple and just be a regular student and part of me wanted to play football at Hobart College in New York. Ultimately, after talking to coach [Frank] Marcinek with my parents about his program and the types of guys he wants on his team and the success his former players had after graduating, I decided I wanted to go to Susquehanna,” he said.
It wasn’t long after that he knew his decision would fit the mold of what he was looking for.
“I give coach Marcinek a lot of the credit. He has built a culture where it’s ‘we before me’ and you can either get on board or get out. He is very clear about what he expects from us on the court, in the weight room, in the classroom and just on campus in general. Having a coach that cares about your development as a person and a player is something special and makes players really want to do their best for him and each other,” Kozinski said.
Looking at Kozinski’s career stats, his minutes played did not always go his way, but he is a guy that oozes passion and love for basketball and his team. His emphasis on being the best teammate possible speaks volumes about his character.
“I think the most important virtue you can have as a player in a team sport is humility. A good teammate is never one that’s saying, ‘look at me’ but instead ‘look what we did together.’. Being able to have genuine happiness in a teammate’s success even if that means your minutes are shrinking is a tough thing to do,” he said.
After coming off of a championship winning season that watched their program’s culture take them all the way to the national tournament, the team was out to defend their title.
“Returning 10 out of top 12 guys, we knew we were positioned to be really good. We got ranked 16th in the preseason polls but in our group chat and conversations with each other we made sure no one was getting complacent or happy with that 16th ranking. We were determined to be a better team than we were last year by working even harder because we wanted to dominate in the conference and compete for a national title,” Kozinski said.
Along with their success on the court, the bond Kozinski has made with teammates will last a lifetime.
“The most enjoyable moments were just spending time with my teammates. There are so many moments besides the actual games that I will look back on the most. Post-practice ice baths and the whole team eating dinner in the cafeteria is where we laughed the most and became the family unit,” he said.
With graduation nearing, Kozinski is considering what he wants to do next.
“I’m currently interviewing with a few different companies. One that I am particularly interested in is a mortgage company called NewDay USA that specializes in helping veterans and their families which I think is awesome. I would stay close to West Chester and my friends and family, but I would also enjoy doing my own thing in a new city for a little bit,” he said.
Looking back at his experience at Susquehanna, and his last moment putting on his basketball jersey as part of a team, Kozinski realized how important it is to be grateful for every moment.
“I never would have thought that the locker room at Wittenberg after we lost a close game in the second round of the tournament would be the last time I put the jersey on. With that being said, enjoy and recognize the singularity of every moment you have at Susquehanna,” Kozinski said, “Even the lifts or early practices you don’t want to go to at the time, you’re going to want them back when it’s over. Instead of saying ‘I have to go to practice today’ adopt the mindset where you say ‘I get to go to practice today.’ It will help you keep things in perspective and remind you to enjoy the ride while you’re on it.”