Basketball
Favorite athlete: Steph Curry
Favorite team: All Philadelphia sports teams
Favorite memory competing in sports: East/West basketball games
Most embarrassing/funniest thing that has happened while competing in sports: Accidentally hitting Coach Adam Sherman (CB West) on top of the head with the ball earlier this year.
Music on iPod: A little bit of everything, but mostly Drake.
Future plans: Graduate from the University of Pittsburgh and find a job I enjoy doing.
Words to live by: “The moment is never too big; embrace the challenge whole-heartedly with confidence in yourself and those around you.”
One goal before turning 30: Exceed expectations and start a career.
One thing people don’t know about me: I’m a twin, I wear glasses, and I actually enjoy public speaking.
By GORDON GLANTZ
It is a moment Central Bucks East basketball coach Erik Henrysen is already dreading.
The end of the current season will mean saying farewell to his team captain, shooting guard Brendan McLaughlin.
McLaughlin’s on-court achievements speak for themselves. He leads the team in scoring (13 points per game), assists (3.0 per game) and gathers 3.5 rebounds a game.
But it is more than the numbers.
McLaughlin, the Univest Male Athlete of the Week, conducts himself in a way that leaves a legacy that some 25-point-per-game Division I recruits could not achieve.
“Brendan has been one of the hardest working, committed players that I have ever coached,” Henrysen said. “He is our team captain and has done a tremendous job of leading by example.”
Which brings us to next year.
“Next year we certainly won't be able to replace Brendan, but we hope that our younger guys will work toward the raised standard that he has set,” said Henrysen.
For his part, the four-year varsity shooting guard appreciates being appreciated.
“Obviously, that means a lot,” he said. “It’s going to be tough saying goodbye, not only to the coaches but to the whole program. I’ve really dedicated myself to it over the years. I’ve put a lot of work into it.
“But, hopefully, it will be a while until we have to say goodbye.”
The team’s leader is living in the now.
After some tough losses early in the season, reaching the .500 mark remains the immediate goal.
“We’re going to get there,” he promised. “I think we’re ready to make our run.”
And when it does end, McLaughlin is ready to make his run at the next chapter of his life.
After fielding offers from Division II- and III-level programs, he decided to follow the path of his older sister, Aubrey, and attend Pitt.
“It’s going to be tough, because I love the game of basketball,” said McLaughlin, who hopes to play basketball on the club level while studying within the business realm at Pitt. “My father always taught me that it is about my education and what happens after that is the most important.
“Pitt was the right decision.”
McLaughlin may have little to nothing in common with Peter Griffin or Archie Bunker, but he is a self-described “family guy” who keeps it “all in the family.”
It is from his parents, Tim and Karen, and his siblings that he draws his inspiration and strength.
“I’m a big family guy,” he said. “I feel like everything I got came from my family. They raised me the right way. They inspired me in everything I do.”
From a young age, McLaughlin watched his two older brothers, Tim and Pat, compete in sports at East and dreamed of taking to the court in a Patriot uniform and upholding the family tradition.
While Pat McLaughlin set the school record for three-pointers, Tim’s lacrosse prowess led him to the big-time on the collegiate level at Salisbury State.
Both were team captains of the basketball team, and showed their little brother no mercy during half-court games in the family’s driveway.
His way was paved by spending a lot of time on the pavement.
“They both played at East, and I was there, at every game,” recalled McLaughlin. “I loved watching them play. Thinking back now, I remember just how much I wanted to be a part of the team and the school community.”
When it comes to the school community, McLaughlin has been involved on many levels, whether it is AHA (Athletes Helping Athletes) or involvement in summer camps.
He is most proud of the role he and his teammates have played in the school’s Coaches vs. Cancer mission, which became front and center at the school after a ninth-grader, Morgan Mysza, lost her battle with brain cancer in 2012.
Her older sister, Taylor, was a student at CB East at the time of Morgan’s passing, and the community rallied around the family.
“It’s a huge event, and it’s an awesome event,” said McLaughlin, who says he has sold raffles and reffed 3-on-3 games during the fundraisers. “It’s a chance to give back to the community.”
If Henrysen is going to be lonesome for McLaughlin after the season ends, he can take heart. He can take Brendan McLaughlin out of CB East but you can’t take CB East out of him.
The past three years, he has found time to return to the CBAA (Central Bucks Athletic Association) to referee games.
That is not going to change when he returns home on break.
“I grew up playing there,” he said. “I’m always looking forward to reffing those kids and teaching them the right way to play. It’s really special.”
And that’s not all.
“I hope I can do some coaching,” he added. “Hopefully, I can come back to East and help out.”
