BILLY O'DONNELL
When I was 10 years old I moved from Flushing to Bayside. It was in Bayside, almost eight years ago, where I met a man who saw great potential in me. He took me under his wing and taught me how to play handball. Ever since then I have been extremely grateful for what he did for me on that first day.
Before I started playing handball, I subjected myself to the challenges of other sports such as basketball and baseball. I found myself extremely fond of basketball because I was very good at it. I always dreamed of being a player in the NBA, but my dreams have changed from holding up an NBA Championship to holding up an Open Singles National Title.
I started out playing big blue handball at my park with all the A players. As I progressed, I first played small ball in my second year of high school when I joined the St. Francis Prep Handball Team. I continue to play small ball everyday in the park and in major tournaments.
My handball tournament experience began with the 2003 Junior Mayor's Cup. It was my first tournament and one in which I made a great showing. I won first place in the 15-under division and placed in the 17-under division. In the first round I was matched against an outstanding player and a former national champion, Jonathan Iglesias, and beat him. In the next round I was beaten by another national champion and eventual winner, Victor Lopierre, himself an excellent player. In my second tournament I entered the 2003 Junior Nationals. I entered both the 15-under and 17-under divisions. In the 15-under division I played a fellow ICHA travel team member, Stan Zavoyskiy, in the finals and defeated him to become the 2003 15-under Junior National Champion. In the 17-under division I came in second.
It was during this same year that I played third singles for St. Francis Prep. I went undefeated and helped the team win its first Catholic High School Athletic Association (C.H.S.A.A.) New York City Championship in over 20 years. In addition, I captured the C.H.S.A.A. Individual Title and also won the team?s MVP Award.
The following year, 2004, as a junior and as the first singles player, I led St. Francis Prep to another C.H.S.A.A. City Championship, going undefeated for the second straight year. In 2004, I competed in the Junior Nationals and won the 17-under title over my fellow team member, Stan. Later that year, in August, I competed in my first National One-Wall tournament in Coney Island. In the C Division, I came in second with my doubles partner and coach of the St. Francis Prep Handball Team, Anthony Grimm.
In my senior year, 2005, as Captain and first singles player for St. Francis Prep, I led the team to its third consecutive undefeated C.H.S.A.A. City Championship. I won first place in the Individual Tournament and won the team?s MVP Award for the third straight year. I entered the 2005 Junior Nationals and made it to the finals of the 19-under Division with my doubles partner, Jonathan Iglesias. The match was fought to the very end as Jonathan and I lost the tiebreaker 11-10! Finally, it was an honor to receive the USHA 2005 High School Player of the Year Award in Houston, Texas at the four-wall nationals. This was the first year USHA has recognized the accomplishments of high school players with this award.
I have traveled to many places outside of New York, such as California, Maryland, Florida, New Jersey, and Iowa, for various handball tournaments including the three-wall nationals and four-wall nationals. In three-wall I took home a semi-final plaque and in four-wall I have won a C singles title and a B doubles title. I am able to do all this traveling thanks to the ICHA Development Fund and Mr. Paul Williams. Mr. Williams is a great coach and mentor to younger players. He has helped me through so much and has taught me a lot about handball. For example, Paul took the USA Handball Team, of which I was a member, to the 2003 World Handball Championship in Ireland where, much to my surprise, I was seeded number one in my division. I was shocked at being seeded number one. Although I only placed, it was a wonderful experience coming from New York and competing in Ireland.
I owe my handball career to my dad. He has helped my through so much. He has always been there for me at every one of my matches. I owe a lot to his coaching me and dedication to the sport as well. He is truly one of the greatest fathers ever. To him I dedicate this bio of myself. Without him I would not have accomplished as much as I did.
Having graduated from St. Francis Prep, I am about to embark on a new beginning which will start on Aug. 20 when I move to Lake Forest College and begin playing handball for them. I hope the experiences at Lake Forest will make me a much better player. My goal is that I will one day claim my first one-wall open title, three-wall open title, and especially my first four-wall open title. One day, I hope be put in the USHA Handball Hall of Fame with all the greats.
Before I started playing handball, I subjected myself to the challenges of other sports such as basketball and baseball. I found myself extremely fond of basketball because I was very good at it. I always dreamed of being a player in the NBA, but my dreams have changed from holding up an NBA Championship to holding up an Open Singles National Title.
I started out playing big blue handball at my park with all the A players. As I progressed, I first played small ball in my second year of high school when I joined the St. Francis Prep Handball Team. I continue to play small ball everyday in the park and in major tournaments.
My handball tournament experience began with the 2003 Junior Mayor's Cup. It was my first tournament and one in which I made a great showing. I won first place in the 15-under division and placed in the 17-under division. In the first round I was matched against an outstanding player and a former national champion, Jonathan Iglesias, and beat him. In the next round I was beaten by another national champion and eventual winner, Victor Lopierre, himself an excellent player. In my second tournament I entered the 2003 Junior Nationals. I entered both the 15-under and 17-under divisions. In the 15-under division I played a fellow ICHA travel team member, Stan Zavoyskiy, in the finals and defeated him to become the 2003 15-under Junior National Champion. In the 17-under division I came in second.
It was during this same year that I played third singles for St. Francis Prep. I went undefeated and helped the team win its first Catholic High School Athletic Association (C.H.S.A.A.) New York City Championship in over 20 years. In addition, I captured the C.H.S.A.A. Individual Title and also won the team?s MVP Award.
The following year, 2004, as a junior and as the first singles player, I led St. Francis Prep to another C.H.S.A.A. City Championship, going undefeated for the second straight year. In 2004, I competed in the Junior Nationals and won the 17-under title over my fellow team member, Stan. Later that year, in August, I competed in my first National One-Wall tournament in Coney Island. In the C Division, I came in second with my doubles partner and coach of the St. Francis Prep Handball Team, Anthony Grimm.
In my senior year, 2005, as Captain and first singles player for St. Francis Prep, I led the team to its third consecutive undefeated C.H.S.A.A. City Championship. I won first place in the Individual Tournament and won the team?s MVP Award for the third straight year. I entered the 2005 Junior Nationals and made it to the finals of the 19-under Division with my doubles partner, Jonathan Iglesias. The match was fought to the very end as Jonathan and I lost the tiebreaker 11-10! Finally, it was an honor to receive the USHA 2005 High School Player of the Year Award in Houston, Texas at the four-wall nationals. This was the first year USHA has recognized the accomplishments of high school players with this award.
I have traveled to many places outside of New York, such as California, Maryland, Florida, New Jersey, and Iowa, for various handball tournaments including the three-wall nationals and four-wall nationals. In three-wall I took home a semi-final plaque and in four-wall I have won a C singles title and a B doubles title. I am able to do all this traveling thanks to the ICHA Development Fund and Mr. Paul Williams. Mr. Williams is a great coach and mentor to younger players. He has helped me through so much and has taught me a lot about handball. For example, Paul took the USA Handball Team, of which I was a member, to the 2003 World Handball Championship in Ireland where, much to my surprise, I was seeded number one in my division. I was shocked at being seeded number one. Although I only placed, it was a wonderful experience coming from New York and competing in Ireland.
I owe my handball career to my dad. He has helped my through so much. He has always been there for me at every one of my matches. I owe a lot to his coaching me and dedication to the sport as well. He is truly one of the greatest fathers ever. To him I dedicate this bio of myself. Without him I would not have accomplished as much as I did.
Having graduated from St. Francis Prep, I am about to embark on a new beginning which will start on Aug. 20 when I move to Lake Forest College and begin playing handball for them. I hope the experiences at Lake Forest will make me a much better player. My goal is that I will one day claim my first one-wall open title, three-wall open title, and especially my first four-wall open title. One day, I hope be put in the USHA Handball Hall of Fame with all the greats.
