NORWICH – The hard work and dedication to the sport that Norwich senior Halea Eaton has put in over the years has now paid off as she officially signed her National Letter of Intent to play NCAA Division-II basketball at LeMoyne College in Syracuse.
“When I think about Halea [Eaton] achieving this goal of getting herself an athletic scholarship to play college basketball, the one thing that really comes to mind immediately is she is a self-made player,” said Norwich girls basketball head coach Josh Bennett. “Halea is very talented and she is an incredible person in terms of character and integrity.
“In 13 years of coaching and 30 years of being around sports, I have never seen anyone put in the work and the effort that Halea did in order to achieve this.”
Eaton fell in love with the sport of basketball at a very young age and was determined to play at the next level ever since. She started with organized basketball through the Norwich Family YMCA recreational league before moving on to the Travel Team. In fifth grade, Eaton played with the sixth grade team.
After being a member of the team, coached by her dad Dennis Eaton and Tim Thompson, the now Norwich senior moved on to play one year of modified and a season of junior varsity before becoming a four-year varsity starter under Bennett.
As if she hadn’t had enough basketball during the regular season, the offseason between her freshman and sophomore year is when Eaton began her travels to play for a Binghamton AAU team called the BNY Select.
“I’m super proud of Halea,” said BNY Select coach Mike Constantine. “Very similar to what Coach [Bennett] said, she is one of the hardest working kids that we have ever had in our program. I think, as a coach, that is reliable. You don’t ever have to worry about her not having a good attitude, not having good body-language, not playing as hard as she can and the list goes on.
“Back when we were frustrated that she wasn’t getting some of the offers we were expecting as they were coming in late, she never was upset. While she was watching other girls from our program get offers, Halea was extremely happy for each and every one of them. That says a lot about her as a person.”
She also continued playing with the Norwich Hurricanes – a team that was extended from the regular season by Bennett for his girls to continue playing during the lull between winter seasons – making a year round sport while balancing school, friends and other sports like soccer and volleyball over the years.
At one of the many tournaments that Eaton and her family traveled up and down the east coast for – and some out in Chicago – is where the coaching staff at LeMoyne College saw her skill level and her high intensity playing style and were drawn the Purple Tornado player.
Eaton received the verbal offer over the summer and accepted on the spot on her official visit to the campus. The offer was one for all four years she will attend the college and she will wear the colors of green and gold, representing the Dolphins program. Eaton will major in psychology with hopes of becoming a school counselor in the future.
“I really have some many people to thank but I want to give a huge thank you to my family,” said Eaton during the signing. “All of the endless nights, long drives and hard times have finally paid off. Thank you for being by my side through everything that has been thrown at us. I truly don’t know if I would have been able to accomplish everything I have without you guys.”
The Norwich senior has started her final season in the purple and white uniform that displays the number 12 on the back and has high expectations for her team this year as she wants to play for a state championship.
On hand at the Purple Tornado senior’s signing were her parents, Dennis and Melissa Eaton, grandparents, aunts, cousins, her Norwich varsity teammates and coaches, Constantine and several Norwich teachers and administrators.
“We, as Halea’s family, are so proud of her falling in love with something that has pushed her to this point,” said Dennis Eaton. “We are all very excited to see her continue to push herself to earn success at the next level.”