Faith in the Freshman

by Mark Lazerus, Post-Tribune
Originally appeared on July 10, 2008

Here’s what Andrew Ferry has to look forward to this year—and potentially the three years that follow.  Long, grueling practices.  Endless weight-lifting sessions and diet restrictions.  Countless hours on a bus.  Curfews, a cramped social life, lost weekends.  And a $30,000 bill to pay.

‘It’s just kind of my dream,’ he said.

Ah, the life of a walk-on.  This is the path Ferry—a 6 foot, 155-pound guard out of Milwaukee—chose when he took Homer Drew up on his invitation to be a walk-on at Valparaiso.

Ferry, a 3-point specialist who set school records from beyond the arc and averaged more than 18 points per game as a senior, had offers from Division II and Division III schools—but he wanted to play Division I basketball.  Always has.  And his only option was to pay his own way, and hopefully earn his way into a scholarship.

‘I think I can do it,’ Ferry said.  ‘I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t think I could.  I think I’m a really hard-working person and I like challenges.  I’m up to it.’

But Ferry’s no dummy—you can’t get into a school such as VU if you are, especially when you’re just a regular run-of-the-mill student, not a high-profile student-athlete on scholarship.  He knows the odds are incredibly stacked against him.  Not everyone—in fact, hardly anyone—can pull off what Dwayne Toatley did eight years ago and earn a scholarship in the middle of his college career.

And Drew, while he didn’t outright puncture Ferry’s dream made sure the freshman realized this fact.  ‘He was more realistic about it,’ Ferry said.  ‘He told me it would be tough, and that he hasn’t had too many guys who had been successful with it.  He didn’t want to discourage me, but he kept it real….’

Maybe sometime down the road, Ferry will face the difficult decision (to transfer).  But for now, he’s ecstatic to be at VU—he first visited as a seventh-grader in a national Lutheran grade school tournament—and playing whatever role he’s asked.

And it is a big role.  An important role.  Just not a high-profile role.  And not a very cost-effective one either.  For now, though, Ferry’s fine with all that.  He knows his role.  ‘My job right now is to help every day and push people to get better,’ he said.  ‘This year’s not going to be my year, and maybe next year won’t, either.  But, my goal is to contribute.’

He will.  The only question is how.