Hi Teammates!
Basketball… After leaving England, my journey took me to Geneva, Switzerland for the next two seasons playing in the SBL (1st league). Geneva was another team on the cusp of becoming a force and winning titles when I arrived. In my first season, we placed second and greatly exceeded expectations. The players on that team gelled very quickly and I played well. Although we lost in the finals, we were confident that the following season, we could win it all. Unfortunately, my second season was very turbulent for many reasons. Although we had almost the same team as the season before, we could not play to that same level. In what would be the most drama-filled season of my career, we ended up in third place.
Life… One thing to know about Geneva (and Switzerland in general) is that life there is EXPENSIVE! Geneva is commonly in the top 10 of the most expensive cities to live in the whole world. It is also a very international city with many American companies having subsidiaries there. Many people speak English there and I felt comfortable. I was also fortunate enough to meet great people, including my best friend, that I still speak with today.
Next… After such a tumultuous season, I knew I needed a new challenge for my remaining years. I was 33 years old and I knew that I wanted to play a maximum of two more seasons. I had already begun to transition mentally to becoming a coach. I was never the type that wanted to play well past my prime. I saw the signs that both my body and game were changing, and while I could still play on a high level, there were differences to when I was 28 years old. Not long after my season ended in Switzerland, I got a call from a coach in Germany. Little did I know that I would finish my career there, begin and finish my coaching career there, and settle my life there as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read my words!
Sean