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Sibling Allies
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Patrick Bonna came to BMCC two years ago having been a starting forward on Abraham Lincoln High School's championship basketball team; his sister Michelle arrived at the college around the same time, never having played the game in her life. But both will graduate this spring having made their mark as athletic standouts -- and outstanding students.
"Actually, I came here hoping to run track," says Michelle, an early childhood education major. "But there was no track team -- so I decided to go with volleyball instead." At 27, she hadn't been on a volleyball court in years and was concerned about fitting in with her younger teammates. But the team clicked and made it to the CUNYAC finals last October. This fall, she'll go on to City College, where she'll play varsity volleyball.
New to the game
"Basketball was a totally new experience for me—but just about everyone else on the team came from a different sport," she says. "We won only one game this season, but it was a great bonding experience for us."
This is Michelle's second try at college. "I did a year of college when I was 17, but just couldn't handle the pressure," she says. "This time I'm more motivated—and a lot hungrier to succeed." In addition to a full courseload and participation in two sports, she works nights at Good Shepherd Services, which provides care and counseling to troubled youth. "The support I've gotten from my teachers has been incredible," she says. "There have been so many people wanting me to succeed here that I've had no choice but to succeed."
From freshman to captain
A business administration major, Patrick plans to attend a senior college in the fall on a basketball scholarship. "Nothing definite yet, but a few division-two and -three schools have shown some interest," he says. In his first year at BMCC, Patrick joined a strong hoop squad dominated by second-year students. "But most of the players graduated, and this year the team has been mostly freshmen and I became captain," he says.
With their full schedules, the Bonnas don't often have the luxury of playing together. But the men's and women's teams often play back-to-back games, "so we do get to watch either," Patrick says. "It's great."
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