GREGORY MERZIGIAN- WAKEFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

Tell everyone about yourself?
I'm a freshman at Wakefield High School. I'm 5'7 and weigh 150 pounds. I play hockey because it's so much fun and there's nothing like putting on those pads and skating out on the rink to make saves. I'm big on training for hockey. I love making jokes with my friends and playing all kinds of sports with them out in the street.

What are your dreams in life?
Like any other serious athlete I would like to play for my favorite colleges (Boston College or Maine University), or any other strong D1 team. After that I would like to see where hockey takes me and at what levels I can play at.

What was your best game?
One of the best games I've had was in my last season. We we're playing one of our rivals and I had around 50 saves. Unfortunately we had a bad loss of 4-0.

Why are sports/education important to you?
Hockey and education are my life. If I'm not doing homework I'm out on the rink or doing something to help me with hockey. Being out on the rink makes me more happier than anything else. I also believe that good education is one thing that gets us to have a college or university to pick you over a athlete just as good as you or maybe even a little better with bad grades, which is why I'm taking all honors classes to raise my GPA.

What can you do to make yourself better in your sport?
Just to keep working on my endurance and practicing as much as I can. Practice makes perfect and perfect is the goal I'm striving for. When you're as serious of an athlete as me, you have to be doing everything perfect.

How do you make your team better?
On most of the teams that I play for, I get around 20 shots against as an average. Stopping as many as I possibly can keeps my team in the game and making good saves gives them momentum to help them score. I tell them that as long as I'm doing everything I can to help them they need to do the same for me.

What advice can you give other student-athletes?
Some advice I could give is to make sure you can be able to manage your sports and school work so you can get them both done. Make sure you put school before your sports because like I said before, if there's another athlete out there that's just as good as you but has better grades colleges and universities will no doubt pick them over you.

Send a shout out to SoSportz:
SoSportz has given me a great opportunity to help achieve my goals and I hope they'll do the same for you. Thank you for all that you've done already and good luck to everyone else doing the same thing I am.

KEVAWN LORD- AMHERST HIGH SCHOOL

Tell everyone about yourself?
My name is Kevawn Lord and I'm a 6'1 rising sophomore guard that plays for Amherst High School.  I play basketball everyday, all year long and hope to reach my full potential and play at the highest level I can.

What are your dreams in life?
My dreams are the same as any other athlete.  I want to play at a good D1 college basketball program and then see where I can go from there.

What was your best game?
I was playing an AAU game in Worchester and I had 26 points in a hard fought losing effort against a team from Cape Cod.

Why are sports/education important to you?
I love playing sports.  I don't know what I would be doing if I couldn't spend my time playing basketball. I need to focus more on my education just like I do my sports.  I plan to focus a lot more on school, but still put in work on the court and in the gym.

What can you do to make yourself better in your sport?
A few things that I can do to improve my sport is by working hard practicing, getting in the gym as much as possible, and to stay focused on my goals.

How do you make your team better?
I take basketball seriously and try to do the things that my team needs. If we're losing and no one else is scoring then I'll score.  If we need a 3 then I'll find us a 3, whether I shoot it or find an open man.

What advice can you give other student-athletes?
Definitely stay focused with your grades and keep playing hard.

Send a shout out to SoSportz:
Shout out SoSportz for letting student athletes gain support and exposure. Its a great site helping players get the accolades they need to further their game.

BO BROOKS- HENRY CLAY HIGH SCHOOL

Tell everyone about yourself?
I'm Bo Brooks and I'm a senior at Henry Clay High school. I'm a soon to be four-year lettermen in football and track. In football, I play running back and cornerback and have been a three-year starter. I have 1,223 career rushing yards and six touchdowns. I'm a complete running back; I can run, block, and catch. I run a 4.4 forty, have a 36 inch vertical, run a 4.2 shuttle and have a 9'6 broad jump. I made second-team all city as a junior and have won freshmen of the year in football. I come from an athletic family. My dad, Randy Brooks, played and started at the University of Kentucky from 1976-80 in football. He was a member of the 1976 peach bowl team and the 1977 10-1 team that went undefeated in the SEC. I have two cousins that currently play in the NFL. I have a cousin named Jordan Pugh, who is a rookie safety for the Carolina panthers and Montavious Stanley who is a five-year NFL veteran Defensive Tackle for the Miami Dolphins. Last, but not least, my Uncle Jimmie Brooks was the all-time leading rusher at Eastern Kentucky University and played for the San Francisco 49ers. In track, I run the 100, 200 and 4 by 100 meter relay. I run 11.0 100 meter dash and 22.9 200 meter dash. I was a state participant in the 100 meter dash and the 4 by 100 meter relay this past year. In football, I am receiving interest from UK, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Marshall, Illinois, Virginia, Western Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, Murray State, and Morehead State.

What are your dreams in life?
My dreams in life are to play college and pro football and get a college degree in education.

What was your best game?
My best game was last year in 2009 against Dunbar high school when I rushed for 111 yards on nine carries and two touchdowns. My Team won 47-0.

Why are sports/education important to you?
Sports are important to me because I have been playing them since I was six and have enjoyed it. I meet lots of new people through sports and love the competitiveness that comes with it. I love working with others to make the team better. Education is important to me because it’s one thing that's going to take me far in life. It’s always known as a back-up plan if anybody doesn’t make it in sports. I love history, so I hope to become a history teacher one day. On the academic end, I have 3.5 GPA and nine college credit hours already as a current high school senior. I've completed English 101 and 102. My Act score is a 20.

What can you do to make yourself better in your sport?
I can get better by continuing to work on my weaknesses and flaws. I also can also continue to watch film and learn to correct my mistakes from certain games and listening to my family members that have played at the college level or pro because they know what it takes to get there.

How do you make your team better?
I make my team better by leading by example vocally and non-vocally. I encourage the young players and new starters to pay attention, watch film, get reps, work hard, and listen to coaches. I encourage my teammates to be leaders on and off the field.

What advice can you give other student-athletes?
My advice to other student-athletes is work on your weaknesses on the field and in the classroom. Also my advice most importantly is to have fun playing sports and enjoy life.

Send a shout out to SoSportz:
That’s all SoSportz, thanks for the interview and taking your time to get to know me.

FAHMI FARAH- AMHERST REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Tell everyone about yourself?
My name is Fahmi Farah and I am a rising sophomore at Amherst Regional High School. I play basketball every season. I try to stay humble and I work hard. I am a 5'8 point guard and I'm skinny but am starting to hit the weights and get stronger. Last year I played AAU for Dunbar community center in Springfield.

What are your dreams in life?
My dream is to play division 1 basketball then get drafted into the NBA.

What was your best game?
My best game was in an AAU tournament in Hartford, CT. I had 20 points and I missed only 2 shots, was 5/6 on 3's and the team started to play really well especially on the defensive end. There were four other players in double digits that game and it went from a close first half to a blowout.

Why are sports/education important to you?
Sports are important to me because I have loved playing since before I could remember and I always loved to compete and hate to lose in anything. Academics are important because you cannot achieve in basketball without academics. I have seen a lot of players who have had the talent and didn't make the grades so I’m trying to do the opposite. You can't play in college without the grades.

What can you do to make yourself better in your sport?
I can make myself better at basketball by working hard everyday, staying humble, always going 100%, setting goals then going out and attaining them. To get better you have to play with people better than you or just as good, never play below your competition level. Be a student of the game and never stop learning.

How do you make your team better?
I can make any team I am on better by being a leader on and off the court and keeping my team involved at all times by distributing the ball. I have always been a guy who likes an assist just as much as a score. By working hard, being the first guy in the gym and the last one out will send a message to your team and they will want to do the same. Always lead by example.

What advice can you give other student-athletes?
Always keep focused, work hard in school and on the court. Improve everyday, have pride, and never be afraid to guard or play with somebody. Carry yourself as if you are already a college basketball or NBA player but never be cocky. Always be respectful and listen. Actions speak louder than words.

Send a shout out to SoSportz:
I would like to thank SoSportz for supporting me. It’s a great program for exposure and seeing other athletes with the same goals that I have.

JAMES "LIL J" WEST- VA DYNASTY

Tell everyone about yourself?
My name is James Howard West, IV. My family and friends know me as Lil' J. These days, I go by JJ too since I'm a huge JJ Reddick and Duke fan; and I can shoot the lights out! My other favorite player is Allen Iverson, because I plan to be the next big thing out of Va in his image. I am a student athlete, with a big emphasis on the student part. Having both my mom and dad as teachers, there is no slacking off when it comes to school.

Being a part of the gifted education program and the Math & Science specialty program at my school, I have to work extra hard to maintain good grade or I lose out in the gym. (Yes, my mom will take basketball away if she is not pleased with my grades). Outside of that, I have a little brother Jalen (7), and a little sister Jayel (3) who are some of my biggest fans. I was born in Washington, DC on June 25, 1998. I then moved to Woodbridge, VA when I was 1 year old and have been there ever since. Those who know me say I was born with a basketball in my hand. I started playing on a recreation team when I was 6 years old, but was always in the gym with my dad who has been a basketball coach for the last 12 years.

My dad is currently the head boys basketball coach at Freedom High School where I would play unless I go private school. When I was 10, I started playing with Team Takeover and had the opportunity to travel up and down the East Coast. Just this past Spring, I left the team to play for my Dad under his organization -VA Dynasty. That is where I feel at home and motivated to be me on the court. With that said, I plan on making some noise with my new team Virginia Dynasty starting the new 2011 AAU season. Remember my name- James Howard West, IV. You can follow me on my Youtube account by typing in James West 4th. I'll rep Va to the fullest two up two down.

What are your dreams in life?
My dream in life is to finish high school with honors and go on to Duke University with an academic scholarship to study within the field of Science. It is also with great ambition that my hard work in the classroom continues to carry over to the basketball court so that I can play for Coach K. Then its on to the NBA so my mom can retire.

What was your best game?
I had plenty of good games. The one I can recall recently is when I scored about 27 points and 8 assists. That was a great game because I was allowed to "DO ME" and still get my teammates involved.

Why are sports/education important to you?
Both of those things can help me be more successful in life. My mom always tells me that "education comes first because you can always break your leg". Both of my parents have instilled in me how important education is and once that is taken care of, the sky's the limit. That's why I can't come home with a C, and I always have all A's.

What can you do to make yourself better on your sport?
To make myself better, I need to work harder in my daily workouts, perfect my defensive play, and most importantly, play every game like its my last. My dad works me and my future back court mate out R.J. Barney as he prepares us for Freedom. With me and R.J. we will when two state titles for my father I promise.

How do you make your team better?
That's the first part of my game- I am a team player. I have great court vision which makes me able to see where my teammates are to get them the ball. I can score when I want, but like Lebron I choose to get everyone touches, because team comes first.

What advice can you give other student-athletes?
Keep working hard in the classroom first, then carry that same work ethic into practice and into the game. Hard work and discipline is what gets you to the finish line.

Send a shout out to SoSportz:
I would like to thank SoSportz for supporting student-athletes and for taking the time to get connected with me. This is a great website, and I predict this to be a high class source for athletes like me to get exposure. SoSportz is great, and I plan to have them track me through my career and my recruiting process. God Bless.

DANIEL APREM- NASEBEN HIGH SCHOOL (IRAQ)

Tell everyone about yourself?
My name is Daniel Aprem and I was a student at Naseben High School but now I'm a student at the Institute of Trade and Marketing. I am from Iraq in Duhok City. My height is 5'11 and I played the 1 and 2 on the court. I use to play with the school team and Duhok Club.

What are your dreams in life?
My dream in life is finishing my school and college. After college, I want to play on the European Clubs or any team outside my residence. But if I don't succeed in that , then I would like to do something with the law.

What was your best game?
My best game was last year in the Municipal Championship game I scored 25 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals.

Why are sports/education important to you?
Education and sports are important to me because playing basketball all year around keeps me out of trouble. Education is very important because its our future. With a good education I will find a good job.

What can you do to make yourself better in your sport?
I can make myself better by practicing on my own everyday. Shoot 500 shots around the court everyday and running we'll improve my game. I have to work hard to be better in future.

How do you make your team better?
I make my team better in practice. I always encourage and push my team to do the right training and work hard to make great union together in the team.

What advice can you give other student-athletes?
My advice for other athletes and students is to never give up on your education. If you read hard you will succeed on the exam. In sports, if you train hard you will be successful and you will be great player in future.

Send a shout out to SoSportz:
Thanks SoSportz for everything!!!! "Success Is Contagious"

BEN TEICHER- RUTGERS PREP

Tell everyone about yourself?
My name is Ben Teicher and I am a rising junior at Rutgers Prep in New Jersey. I play tennis and basketball. I was recently named an all prep selection for New Jersey High School Tennis. I am 5’11 and weigh 150 lbs.

What are your dreams in life?
My dreams in life are to play college tennis and after college have an impact in people’s lives either being a teacher or a coach.

What was your best game?
My best match was in 2008 I was playing in a district championship and I was down 6-3, 3-1 and I rallied to win the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Why are sports/education important to you?
Sports and education are really important in my life because even though I love playing tennis year round and playing basketball with my high school and AAU teams, my dad always taught me that I need a quality education to succeed in life because making it to the professionals is extremely rare. Developing good work habits for school now can only help me if I am playing college tennis at a prestigious academic school.

What can you do to make yourself better in your sport?
I have to take it one day at a time and constantly work at my weaknesses and improve my strengths to become a better player. I have to stay dedicated and determined to get better and when times are tough to persevere and get through it.

How do you make your team better?
I make my team better by leading by example and giving it my all day in and day out and making sure that I push my teammates at all times. If the team chemistry is very strong, we will be successful.

What advice can you give other student-athletes?
My advice for other student-athletes is to perform well in the classroom and work hard in whatever you are doing and you will be in a good place.

Send a shout out to SoSportz:
Big shout out to SoSportz for this interview!