Colton Carrier, son of Gregory and Lorri Carrier, is headed to Europe next week to represent the United States as part of the Next College Student Athlete program and will play a role in the sixteen and under Team USA. Carrier will compete on the team with nine other American high schoolers from across the United States, facing off in a pool play basketball tournament against thirty other countries.
The sole Nebraskan on the team, Carrier is both excited and a bit nervous at the thought of playing at this higher-level competition, palming a basketball in one hand while he carries this conversation. His mother, Lorri, is nervous about him traveling outside the county practically by himself, though he will meet up with his team in Texas. Says Lorri, “We’ve traveled a lot, but it’s always been as a family.” Also, traveling when she was his age as compared to now, she says, “I feel like we live in a different world today. The world is at pretty unrest,” and under different global circumstances, she feels she’d be less anxious. But she also recognized this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for her son, and she wants him to take it. She added that since Colton wants to play the game in college, this is a way for him to get some play time to fulfill his dreams, see the world, and to be seen, concluding, “That’s kind of why we’re letting him take these other opportunities.”
Father Greg echoed those sentiments, but also added that playing basketball at a different level and on a higher playing field would offer the type of exposure not necessarily available in Western Nebraska.While their older daughter, Rilee, who graduated in May, played basketball for the Bridgeport girl’s team, she was happy whether she played on the court or supported her team from the bench. However, they agree that Colton has larger aspirations and bigger dreams when it comes to having a future playing sports, so both parents feel that the worldwide experience will aid Colton in reaching those goals and furthering his dreams.
