Keith Simmons Story in Worcester Telegram . . WOW . .
Dec 1, 2019 9:10:47 GMT -5
rgs318, Non Alum Dave, and 5 more like this
Post by td128 on Dec 1, 2019 9:10:47 GMT -5
In light of recent developments that brought national attention to Holy Cross, perhaps those atop Mt. St. James in charge of Marketing and Communications might think about promoting this personal story of Keith Simmons. I would also recommend that the administration invite Keith to address the student body at large to share his personal story. I think his experience may be enlightening for many students, faculty, and administrators on campus.
Hard not to juxtapose this story that is running in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette to the damage done to Alma Mater given the manner in which the Heather MacDonald talk was handled.
Lots of lessons in here for everybody.
MAJOR props to Keith Simmons for bringing real glory and honor to Holy Cross. MAJOR props to Holy Cross Crusader alum Whitey Moynihan '83 as well for engaging and supporting Keith when he played for the Crusaders and for being a lifelong mentor to him. Talk about being a "man for others."
www.telegram.com/news/20191130/where-are-they-now-former-holy-cross-basketball-star-keith-simmons-comes-home-again
WORCESTER — Former Holy Cross men’s basketball star Keith Simmons was at the Hart Center last week to watch the Crusaders play Harvard. Being in the gym, of course, evoked many memories of his hall-of-fame career and playing for former HC coach Ralph Willard.
Simmons’ introduction to Holy Cross occurred 17 years ago when Willard, on the recruiting trail, visited Simmons and his mom, Essie, in their Kingston, New York, home.
Willard, Simmons remembers vividly, extolled HC’s passionate alumni network and told Mrs. Simmons how Holy Cross would make her son into a man and prepare him for the world.
“As a 17-year-old,” Simmons recalled with a laugh, “you’re like, ‘That’s nice, but am I going to play?’”
Simmons graduated from Holy Cross in 2007, played professionally overseas for nine years and has since pursued a career as a certified personal trainer and business owner. He returned to Worcester three months ago, and is living here while the home he and his wife, Amy — a physician’s assistant and also a ’07 HC grad — purchased in Wilmington is being renovated.
He is a co-owner, along with Frank Nash, 1983 HC grad John “Whitey” Moynihan, and his son, Quinn Moynihan, of Stronger Personal Training, a fitness gym with locations in Worcester and Southboro.
Simmons said he is thrilled to be back in the area and close to Holy Cross.
“Now,” the 34-year-old Simmons said, “I’m the passionate alum who wants to reach out and find ways to be of service to the community and Holy Cross’ current student body.”
Simmons, a 6-foot-5 wing, scored 1,654 points for the Crusaders and ranks ninth on the program’s all-time scoring list. Along with classmate Torey Thomas, Simmons led Holy Cross to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007.
He played professionally in Germany for one year and in Turkey for eight seasons, including seven for the Banvit Basketball Club.
“Where to start?” Simmons said when asked of his overseas experiences. “I had never been out of the country until I started playing, and just the travel alone, seeing different cultures, different religions, different food, different music, different everything, it was very intimidating at first and I was a little bit of a hermit that first year. As you mature, you try to take advantage of it and the whole experience was so transformative, the way I think about my life, my spirituality, my confidence. Everything changed.”
Simmons had a successful playing career on one of Turkey’s top teams.
“We competed for a championship and financially basketball did a lot for me,” Simmons said. “I was able to buy my mom a condo, put my wife through school, pay off her debt from Holy Cross, things like that. It was a transformative time in my life. I have nothing but good things to say.”
Simmons retired three years ago and returned to New York.
Before embarking on the next phase of his life, he took an “epic” three-month, cross-country tour of the United States. Amy accompanied him for a couple weeks. Simmons sent an itinerary to friends and family near and far, and “people were jumping in and out of the trip, which was amazing,” Simmons said.
He made 32 stops and visited 22 states. He went from the far reaches of Alaska, to Birmingham, Alabama, to Acadia National Park in Maine. He toured the West Coast and Midwest, jumped out of a plane in Austin, Texas, and ate alligator in New Orleans.
“It was amazing,” Simmons said, “and a nice way to reintegrate myself to America.”
Back in New York, Simmons had a couple of very successful personal fitness training endeavors, including a corporate wellness program at a financial institution in the city as well as a wellness program for New York University freshmen.
Whitey Moynihan, a mentor to Simmons when he was a student at Holy Cross, contacted him about the opportunity with StrongerPT.
“I continued to get more experience, education and additional certifications and specialties,” Simmons said. “My wife is from north of Boston, so we’ve always been looking to re-locate to this area.”
While the house is being renovated and Simmons is growing his new business, Amy is in New York working at Columbia Presbyterian and pursuing her master’s degree in public health. She is expecting their first child in February.
“A new house, new gym, baby on the way, it’s all good,” Simmons said with his sparkling, signature smile. “It’s all exciting things.”
Simmons, who majored in sociology at Holy Cross, was a three-time first-team All-Patriot League selection and the 2007 Patriot League Player of the Year.
“When I talk about my Holy Cross experience,” Simmons said, “I loved it and I speak very glowingly of it, but at the same time it was a crucible. Absolutely it was a crucible. Coach Willard was the most demanding coach I ever had. He was very tough on us. I remember him telling us, ‘I can’t let up because the world is not going to let up.’
“On top of that, you’re at this really good, high-level institution and you’ve got to go back to your room after practice and read 60 pages a night. And if your paper is due and you’re traveling, ‘we need that paper before you go on the trip.’ Coach Willard said, ‘you will never have anyone demand more of you than I do.’
“I played nine years overseas and we had some tough coaches,” Simmons said with a laugh, “but it was a cake walk (compared to Willard).”
Simmons was inducted to the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2017.
“During my speech, I talked about that ultimately college should prepare you for life,” Simmons said. “Whatever industry you’re going into, whatever you’re going to do, it should prepare you for life. I can honestly say Holy Cross made a lot of the challenges I faced since then easier. I’ll be forever grateful to Holy Cross because of that.
“That’s why it’s very important for me to be in business with a Holy Cross person and to be connected to the Holy Cross community,” Simmons said. “Whatever they need. I’m in town. I’m here. I told that to the basketball program and to my old academic advisor. Absolutely, I’m here. That’s what Holy Cross did for me. It has to come full circle.”
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @jentandg.
Hard not to juxtapose this story that is running in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette to the damage done to Alma Mater given the manner in which the Heather MacDonald talk was handled.
Lots of lessons in here for everybody.
MAJOR props to Keith Simmons for bringing real glory and honor to Holy Cross. MAJOR props to Holy Cross Crusader alum Whitey Moynihan '83 as well for engaging and supporting Keith when he played for the Crusaders and for being a lifelong mentor to him. Talk about being a "man for others."
www.telegram.com/news/20191130/where-are-they-now-former-holy-cross-basketball-star-keith-simmons-comes-home-again
WORCESTER — Former Holy Cross men’s basketball star Keith Simmons was at the Hart Center last week to watch the Crusaders play Harvard. Being in the gym, of course, evoked many memories of his hall-of-fame career and playing for former HC coach Ralph Willard.
Simmons’ introduction to Holy Cross occurred 17 years ago when Willard, on the recruiting trail, visited Simmons and his mom, Essie, in their Kingston, New York, home.
Willard, Simmons remembers vividly, extolled HC’s passionate alumni network and told Mrs. Simmons how Holy Cross would make her son into a man and prepare him for the world.
“As a 17-year-old,” Simmons recalled with a laugh, “you’re like, ‘That’s nice, but am I going to play?’”
Simmons graduated from Holy Cross in 2007, played professionally overseas for nine years and has since pursued a career as a certified personal trainer and business owner. He returned to Worcester three months ago, and is living here while the home he and his wife, Amy — a physician’s assistant and also a ’07 HC grad — purchased in Wilmington is being renovated.
He is a co-owner, along with Frank Nash, 1983 HC grad John “Whitey” Moynihan, and his son, Quinn Moynihan, of Stronger Personal Training, a fitness gym with locations in Worcester and Southboro.
Simmons said he is thrilled to be back in the area and close to Holy Cross.
“Now,” the 34-year-old Simmons said, “I’m the passionate alum who wants to reach out and find ways to be of service to the community and Holy Cross’ current student body.”
Simmons, a 6-foot-5 wing, scored 1,654 points for the Crusaders and ranks ninth on the program’s all-time scoring list. Along with classmate Torey Thomas, Simmons led Holy Cross to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007.
He played professionally in Germany for one year and in Turkey for eight seasons, including seven for the Banvit Basketball Club.
“Where to start?” Simmons said when asked of his overseas experiences. “I had never been out of the country until I started playing, and just the travel alone, seeing different cultures, different religions, different food, different music, different everything, it was very intimidating at first and I was a little bit of a hermit that first year. As you mature, you try to take advantage of it and the whole experience was so transformative, the way I think about my life, my spirituality, my confidence. Everything changed.”
Simmons had a successful playing career on one of Turkey’s top teams.
“We competed for a championship and financially basketball did a lot for me,” Simmons said. “I was able to buy my mom a condo, put my wife through school, pay off her debt from Holy Cross, things like that. It was a transformative time in my life. I have nothing but good things to say.”
Simmons retired three years ago and returned to New York.
Before embarking on the next phase of his life, he took an “epic” three-month, cross-country tour of the United States. Amy accompanied him for a couple weeks. Simmons sent an itinerary to friends and family near and far, and “people were jumping in and out of the trip, which was amazing,” Simmons said.
He made 32 stops and visited 22 states. He went from the far reaches of Alaska, to Birmingham, Alabama, to Acadia National Park in Maine. He toured the West Coast and Midwest, jumped out of a plane in Austin, Texas, and ate alligator in New Orleans.
“It was amazing,” Simmons said, “and a nice way to reintegrate myself to America.”
Back in New York, Simmons had a couple of very successful personal fitness training endeavors, including a corporate wellness program at a financial institution in the city as well as a wellness program for New York University freshmen.
Whitey Moynihan, a mentor to Simmons when he was a student at Holy Cross, contacted him about the opportunity with StrongerPT.
“I continued to get more experience, education and additional certifications and specialties,” Simmons said. “My wife is from north of Boston, so we’ve always been looking to re-locate to this area.”
While the house is being renovated and Simmons is growing his new business, Amy is in New York working at Columbia Presbyterian and pursuing her master’s degree in public health. She is expecting their first child in February.
“A new house, new gym, baby on the way, it’s all good,” Simmons said with his sparkling, signature smile. “It’s all exciting things.”
Simmons, who majored in sociology at Holy Cross, was a three-time first-team All-Patriot League selection and the 2007 Patriot League Player of the Year.
“When I talk about my Holy Cross experience,” Simmons said, “I loved it and I speak very glowingly of it, but at the same time it was a crucible. Absolutely it was a crucible. Coach Willard was the most demanding coach I ever had. He was very tough on us. I remember him telling us, ‘I can’t let up because the world is not going to let up.’
“On top of that, you’re at this really good, high-level institution and you’ve got to go back to your room after practice and read 60 pages a night. And if your paper is due and you’re traveling, ‘we need that paper before you go on the trip.’ Coach Willard said, ‘you will never have anyone demand more of you than I do.’
“I played nine years overseas and we had some tough coaches,” Simmons said with a laugh, “but it was a cake walk (compared to Willard).”
Simmons was inducted to the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2017.
“During my speech, I talked about that ultimately college should prepare you for life,” Simmons said. “Whatever industry you’re going into, whatever you’re going to do, it should prepare you for life. I can honestly say Holy Cross made a lot of the challenges I faced since then easier. I’ll be forever grateful to Holy Cross because of that.
“That’s why it’s very important for me to be in business with a Holy Cross person and to be connected to the Holy Cross community,” Simmons said. “Whatever they need. I’m in town. I’m here. I told that to the basketball program and to my old academic advisor. Absolutely, I’m here. That’s what Holy Cross did for me. It has to come full circle.”
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @jentandg.
