Branch native embarks on fourth season with the Memorial Seahawks

Mark English started out playing basketball much like all young people in rural Newfoundland, on a home made net after school. Many evenings were spent "in the lane", as the locals call it, perfecting his sport. Today, years after his days "in the lane", Mr. English has become a provincial basketball star.
The 24-year old Branch native started playing basketball when he was in grade four.
"There weren't a lot of choices to play other sports, plus everyone played basketball so it was a pretty obvious choice really," jokes Mr. English.
By grade nine he had made the Fatima Academy Senior Boys team. He got his first taste of national action when he made the provincial team in grade 11. The team played a tournament in British Columbia and Mr. English had his first chance to play alongside future Seahawk teammates Evan Constantine and Justin Halleran.
"Playing for the provincial team, that's when I really got into it."
This September he will embark on his fourth year as a Memorial University Seahawk. But the road for Mr. English was not without its turns and bumps. Fresh out of high school Mr. English took a two-year hiatus playing very little basketball. He participated in Division 1, a men's intercity basketball league in St. John's and soon he ended up playing a tournament in Halifax where he got an offer from a coach to come play at Dalhousie.
While the offer was enticing, Mr. English decided against it.
"One of the reasons I didn't go had to do with the cost," explains Mr. English, "the tuition was much more expensive than at MUN and it would have cost me more to live over there." But from there he approached the Memorial men's basketball coach for tryout.
That year was a heavily recruited one for Memorial with new stars fresh out of high school and plenty of international stars coming into the mix. Then-coach Todd Aughey offered Mr. English the 18th player spot; a practice player position.
"I shook his hand and said 'I'll take it'. He gave me a shot and I had to make the most of it."
Mr. English kept working and by the following year he was playing pre season games. Right before the start of the regular season he rolled his ankle, hampering his chances of playing regular minutes on the court that year. "I played maybe 30 minutes all year. You can't play while injured and you can't really practice, so I was behind a bit on my skills due to the injury."
Not to be deterred, Mr. English stayed in the hunt, got his ankle healthy again and played back up to Curtis Power the following season. While playing back up, Mr. English again was plagued by injury. He wore a knee brace for most of the year as he tore his meniscus in his left knee.
It was Mr. English's third season that he really hit his stride. He became a starting guard for the Seahawks and a veteran to the rest of the team. He led the team in field goals made, three point field goals and free throws made. He also led the way in steals, assists and minutes played and had the highest points total for the year.
In September, Mr. English hopes to continue his success when he will embark on his forth and final season as a player for the Memorial Seahawks.