It's been 61 years since Jim Boeheim arrived on the Syracuse University campus as a non-scholarship basketball player, but the message he shared with Onondaga Community College Lazers Student-Athletes was timeless. "There's no limit to what you can do. You never give up, you never slow down, nothing ever stops you. You may not be a great player, I wasn't a great player. Try to do the best you can every day and see what happens," he told them.
The Hall of Fame coach brought his lifetime of stories to the OCC campus September 25 when he held a conversation and question-and-answer session in the Allyn Hall Gymnasium. He talked about experiences and lessons learned during his playing and coaching career at S.U. which began in 1962 and ended earlier this year. He recalled his time coaching three U.S. Men's Basketball Olympic teams and the tireless work ethic he witnessed in Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. "It's a matter of how much you want in whatever it is you're doing. It doesn't have to be sports, it can be anything. If you want it and work hard, you will be successful."
Boeheim's message resonated with two members of OCC's Women's Basketball team. "It was really interesting listening to his life story and accomplishments. I enjoyed hearing from a Division I coach here at a smaller school," said Brianna Weaver (Cicero-North Syracuse HS class of 2023). "I really liked the fact that he emphasized 'if you work hard you can do anything,'" said Sarah Hirschler (Fairport HS class of 2023). "There are always people who will say things about you and doubt you. In the end it comes down to hard work and your mentality."
