Friday, April 16, 2004
CU recruit Kyle Roemer hometown sendoff article
Contra Costa Times (California)
April 15, 2004 Thursday
SECTION: F; Pg. 4
De La Salle's Roemer: Boys basketball player of the year
By Chace Bryson; CONTRA COSTA TIMES
When Kyle Roemer enrolled at De La Salle High School as a freshman, his primary focus wasn't basketball. In fact, his passion was football.
But after a successful season as a tight end for the Spartans' freshman team, Roemer made the difficult decision to leave football and pursue basketball -- a sport he'd been playing in an organized setting only since seventh grade.
"I thought about it and asked myself how big of an impact could I make on (De La Salle's) football team," Roemer said. "Whether I played or not, they were going to win. I wanted to be somewhere that I felt I could make a difference."
Three years later, the 6-foot-4 senior swingman will be leaving the program as its second all-time leading scorer and rebounder.
While his Spartans' career speaks for itself, it was the difference that Roemer provided during his senior season that earned him the honor of the Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
After missing a shot at the buzzer in De La Salle's 38-37 upset loss to Deer Valley in the first round of the 2003 North Coast Section Division I playoffs, Roemer was driven to recommit himself to the game and to getting the Spartans back to the NCS championship and beyond.
"After that loss, people kind of talked about it as a changing of the guard," Roemer said. "They wondered if the rest of the league was catching up to us. I took that as a challenge."
Roemer answered the challenge and helped lead De La Salle to its third straight perfect season in the Bay Valley Athletic League, its fifth NCS championship in six years, and eventually a trip to the California Interscholastic Federation Division I state championship game. There he finished with a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds in a 51-36 loss to Fairfax-Los Angeles.
"If there was a poster child for our program, he'd be it," Spartans coach Frank Allocco said. "After (the Deer Valley loss) last year he decided that this ain't happening again, and got everyone else to follow. The kid just carried us. Much of what we accomplished came from grit and determination, but a lot of it was him."
It was actually Roemer's display of grit and determination during an open gym that earned him the scholarship offer that will take him to Hamilton, N.Y., to attend and compete for Colgate University next year.
According to Allocco, the coach for Colgate came to an open gym to simply take a look at Roemer.
"He's admitted to me prior to seeing Kyle that he was probably just going to take a look and talk to him a little bit," Allocco said. "But I think Kyle made a hustle defensive play and the coach turned to me and said 'I have to have him.'
"That is what's special about Kyle. Whether it's an open gym or a state final, he plays the same way."
Roemer said he chose the Patriot League program because it reminded him a lot of De La Salle. Between the school, the coaching staff and the players, he felt a sense of community that he enjoyed.
That Colgate community can only hope that Roemer is going there to make a difference. @ 10:20 AM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Contra Costa Times (California)
April 15, 2004 Thursday
SECTION: F; Pg. 4
De La Salle's Roemer: Boys basketball player of the year
By Chace Bryson; CONTRA COSTA TIMES
When Kyle Roemer enrolled at De La Salle High School as a freshman, his primary focus wasn't basketball. In fact, his passion was football.
But after a successful season as a tight end for the Spartans' freshman team, Roemer made the difficult decision to leave football and pursue basketball -- a sport he'd been playing in an organized setting only since seventh grade.
"I thought about it and asked myself how big of an impact could I make on (De La Salle's) football team," Roemer said. "Whether I played or not, they were going to win. I wanted to be somewhere that I felt I could make a difference."
Three years later, the 6-foot-4 senior swingman will be leaving the program as its second all-time leading scorer and rebounder.
While his Spartans' career speaks for itself, it was the difference that Roemer provided during his senior season that earned him the honor of the Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
After missing a shot at the buzzer in De La Salle's 38-37 upset loss to Deer Valley in the first round of the 2003 North Coast Section Division I playoffs, Roemer was driven to recommit himself to the game and to getting the Spartans back to the NCS championship and beyond.
"After that loss, people kind of talked about it as a changing of the guard," Roemer said. "They wondered if the rest of the league was catching up to us. I took that as a challenge."
Roemer answered the challenge and helped lead De La Salle to its third straight perfect season in the Bay Valley Athletic League, its fifth NCS championship in six years, and eventually a trip to the California Interscholastic Federation Division I state championship game. There he finished with a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds in a 51-36 loss to Fairfax-Los Angeles.
"If there was a poster child for our program, he'd be it," Spartans coach Frank Allocco said. "After (the Deer Valley loss) last year he decided that this ain't happening again, and got everyone else to follow. The kid just carried us. Much of what we accomplished came from grit and determination, but a lot of it was him."
It was actually Roemer's display of grit and determination during an open gym that earned him the scholarship offer that will take him to Hamilton, N.Y., to attend and compete for Colgate University next year.
According to Allocco, the coach for Colgate came to an open gym to simply take a look at Roemer.
"He's admitted to me prior to seeing Kyle that he was probably just going to take a look and talk to him a little bit," Allocco said. "But I think Kyle made a hustle defensive play and the coach turned to me and said 'I have to have him.'
"That is what's special about Kyle. Whether it's an open gym or a state final, he plays the same way."
Roemer said he chose the Patriot League program because it reminded him a lot of De La Salle. Between the school, the coaching staff and the players, he felt a sense of community that he enjoyed.
That Colgate community can only hope that Roemer is going there to make a difference. @ 10:20 AM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Thursday, April 01, 2004
Ronald Hearns: AU alum and Boxer
MIKE BRUDENELL: Coming of age: Young Hearns sets pro debut
This is just crazy. @ 11:43 AM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
MIKE BRUDENELL: Coming of age: Young Hearns sets pro debut
This is just crazy. @ 11:43 AM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
CAN THIS OFFSEASON GET ANY WORSE FOR ME
First, Coach Jones is interviewing with everyone and their brother about other coaching positions, now you have Andre Ingram talking about transfering out of AU.
TimesDispatch.com | Ex-Springer soared as Eagles freshman: "But the engineering student added 'a transfer is something I may take a look at after the [school] year. I wouldn't put it past me thinking about it. If something turns out better and I feel it's the place for me, I won't hesitate to definitely explore options.'" @ 11:33 AM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
First, Coach Jones is interviewing with everyone and their brother about other coaching positions, now you have Andre Ingram talking about transfering out of AU.
TimesDispatch.com | Ex-Springer soared as Eagles freshman: "But the engineering student added 'a transfer is something I may take a look at after the [school] year. I wouldn't put it past me thinking about it. If something turns out better and I feel it's the place for me, I won't hesitate to definitely explore options.'" @ 11:33 AM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
