Horned Frogs First Person: Brandon Coleman
10/26/2023 11:24:00 AM | Football
TCU captain moved to the United States from Germany when he was 15
(as told to Lily Margaret Greenway)
You can't expect big things to happen if you don't make sacrifices to achieve them. I am extremely fortunate to attribute my successes to the sacrifices my family made for me. When I was 15 years old, I left my home in Germany to come to school in the United States in hopes of earning a college basketball scholarship. My sister took me in and practically raised me for three years, and my mom spent hours flying back and forth to come see me. I have the eternal driving factor of knowing where I come from, wanting to give back to my family, and hoping to book my mom as many flights here as I can. Without my family and friends, I wouldn't have moved here and been entrusted to put our name on a jersey and become the best guy at my job.
When I realized that my recruitment process would be more focused on football, I didn't follow my originally-planned path of making it to the NBA. Instead, I made my own dream to play football – but I'm still the best basketball player on the whole team! The first time I drove through campus was with my friends in high school. I was probably 16 years old and I had just started playing football. We were joking around, and I said, "wouldn't it be crazy if I came here?" But when I took my official visit in 2019, it wasn't crazy. Everything just felt right.
I'm a big competitor, and I like to get under my opponent's skin on the field but, ironically, one of the greatest roles I play is as an encourager to my teammates. I'm competitive in workouts, practices and games, but I strive to get our energy up and hold the guys around me to a higher standard. Everyone has something they can use to fuel their mindsets, and I'm all about giving people the lift they need to keep pushing through no matter what.
A leadership role isn't something you ask for or brag about. Instead, it's an honor to lead by example, talk to my team, and encourage them to use their experiences to work harder every day. My teammates are who shaped me into a leader. I was very reserved when I first came to TCU. I pretty much went to workouts, stayed in my dorm after practice, and kept to myself. But guys like Steve Avila, Antonio Ortiz, Andrew Coker and Willis Patrick brought me out of my shell and helped me work through the hard times of overcoming injury throughout our 2020 season. They assured me that I deserved to be a part of this team, even during the times I couldn't be on the field. My recovery was difficult for me because I like to work, but no matter what injuries or losses I go through, life goes on. I can choose to dwell on how I feel, or I can use it as fuel to keep going. I'm never one to sit and feel sorry for myself. I come to work, knowing that I am strong enough to overcome anything and make a better world for my loved ones.
You can't expect big things to happen if you don't make sacrifices to achieve them. I am extremely fortunate to attribute my successes to the sacrifices my family made for me. When I was 15 years old, I left my home in Germany to come to school in the United States in hopes of earning a college basketball scholarship. My sister took me in and practically raised me for three years, and my mom spent hours flying back and forth to come see me. I have the eternal driving factor of knowing where I come from, wanting to give back to my family, and hoping to book my mom as many flights here as I can. Without my family and friends, I wouldn't have moved here and been entrusted to put our name on a jersey and become the best guy at my job.
When I realized that my recruitment process would be more focused on football, I didn't follow my originally-planned path of making it to the NBA. Instead, I made my own dream to play football – but I'm still the best basketball player on the whole team! The first time I drove through campus was with my friends in high school. I was probably 16 years old and I had just started playing football. We were joking around, and I said, "wouldn't it be crazy if I came here?" But when I took my official visit in 2019, it wasn't crazy. Everything just felt right.
I'm a big competitor, and I like to get under my opponent's skin on the field but, ironically, one of the greatest roles I play is as an encourager to my teammates. I'm competitive in workouts, practices and games, but I strive to get our energy up and hold the guys around me to a higher standard. Everyone has something they can use to fuel their mindsets, and I'm all about giving people the lift they need to keep pushing through no matter what.
A leadership role isn't something you ask for or brag about. Instead, it's an honor to lead by example, talk to my team, and encourage them to use their experiences to work harder every day. My teammates are who shaped me into a leader. I was very reserved when I first came to TCU. I pretty much went to workouts, stayed in my dorm after practice, and kept to myself. But guys like Steve Avila, Antonio Ortiz, Andrew Coker and Willis Patrick brought me out of my shell and helped me work through the hard times of overcoming injury throughout our 2020 season. They assured me that I deserved to be a part of this team, even during the times I couldn't be on the field. My recovery was difficult for me because I like to work, but no matter what injuries or losses I go through, life goes on. I can choose to dwell on how I feel, or I can use it as fuel to keep going. I'm never one to sit and feel sorry for myself. I come to work, knowing that I am strong enough to overcome anything and make a better world for my loved ones.
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