Nederland graduate Colton Weisbrod is again able to have fun while on the basketball court.
The Lamar State College-Port Arthur sophomore has been able to relax and concentrate on the sport he loves and not worry so much about what could happen in the future. The same cannot be said for what Weisbrod had on his mind last year while playing with the New Orleans Privateers.
Weisbrod last year had the birth of his son to concentrate on, and he was not sure what that would mean to his college career.
His son, Wake, was born in April 2015 and Weisbrod decided to move home and play for the Seahawks. He is now signed to play with the Lamar Cardinals next year.
“It has been a lot of fun,” Weisbrod said a day before LSC-PA hosts San Jacinto College-Central at 7 p.m. at the Carl Parker Center. “All the kids are really close and we are coming together at the right time.”
It is a stark comparison to last year.
“Last year built me as person to be a lot stronger,” Weisbrod added. “I had to make some tough decisions for my family and for me. Being away, it made me grow up a lot faster and it changed me as a person. It helped me a lot.
“The best thing in world is seeing my family in the stands. I get to see Allison (Jacks) and my son. It is always amazing.”
If anyone would have told Weisbrod, who is now 20, that he would have to make decisions he made in his late-teens, he would have called them crazy.
“I was 18 or 19 and I found out we were having Wake,” Weisbrod said. “It was a tough time. It was during the season and I had a lot going on in my mind. I had the leg injury, so I was in and out of the lineup at UNO. Things were tough. I tried to handle the season first but it was tough.”
Weisbrod has started all 20 games for the Seahawks (13-7, 6-4) and is fourth in NJCAA in scoring with 22.4 points per game. He is second in rebounding at 10.4 boards a game and first with 4.2 offensive rebounds a contest.
Weisbrod went for 30 points and 19 rebounds in Saturday’s 99-91 win at Jacksonville College.
The Seahawks are currently third in the Region XIV South Zone standings. San Jacinto comes in 8-2 and first in the conference standings.
LSC-PA has won three straight Region XIV games in a row and last lost a conference game on Jan. 2 to then-No. 2 Trinity Valley Community College.
That is a game Weisbrod remembers possibly being the turning point in the Seahawks season. He believes it because he knows the Seahawks are a very talented basketball squad.
“I remember we were in the locker room and it was a tough loss,” Weisbrod said. “I had the turnover to lose the game. It was emotional. Everyone was quiet and thinking. I sat there and coach asked if anyone had anything to say. I told everyone ‘Guys, I don’t think we realize how talented we really are. I promise if we stick to it, we are going to get there.’ We are coming out the other side right now.”
A win tonight would prove Weisbrod was right about he and his fun-loving teammates.