Sean Mizzoni

On August 6, 2018, I received a message through CoachUp from a parent I had never met:

“My 16-year-old son goes to La Salle College High School and would like to start working 1-on-1 with you. What times and days usually work for you?”

That message was from Sean Mizzoni’s mom.

Soon after, Sean and I started working out together at the Meadowbrook School. What began as individual basketball training turned into a relationship that has lasted for years. I’ve had the opportunity to watch Sean grow from a high school player into a college player, coach, and now an assistant coach at Gettysburg College.

What I love most about Sean’s story is that his journey was anything but a straight line.

Sean started at La Salle College High School before transferring to Jenkintown during his junior year, where he had the opportunity to take on a bigger role and help lead the program. Throughout that transition, he kept working and continued finding ways to grow.

That work eventually earned him the opportunity to play at Widener University. During Sean’s time there, Widener won a MAC Commonwealth championship and made multiple NCAA Tournament appearances. His junior season became an especially memorable one, as Widener went 24-5 and climbed as high as No. 13 nationally.

But the wins and championships are only part of Sean’s story.

One of the biggest lessons from his journey has been perspective. When you are going through a difficult transition, dealing with a changing role, or wondering why things are not happening according to plan, it can be hard to see what that experience is preparing you for.

Looking back, Sean sees those moments differently.

Every stop, challenge, relationship, and opportunity helped shape the person and coach he is today.

After college, Sean stayed connected to the game and coached with us at Next Play Basketball. He was a tremendous asset because he could share more than basketball knowledge—he could share experience.

He understood what it was like to search for the right opportunity, have the original plan change, and keep moving forward anyway. More importantly, he genuinely cared about the players he coached.

Sean later returned to coach at Jenkintown before earning the opportunity to join the Gettysburg College men’s basketball staff.

When I saw the news, I immediately thought back to that first message in 2018.

A mom looking for someone to train her 16-year-old son.

Eight years later, that kid is coaching college basketball.

Sean’s story is a great reminder that everything along the journey matters.

Plans change. Roles change. Setbacks happen. Sometimes the thing that feels like a detour at the time becomes exactly what you needed.

And maybe just as important are the relationships you build along the way.

Basketball has given Sean the opportunity to meet countless people in a relatively small basketball world, and those relationships have become one of the most meaningful parts of his journey.

Sean kept showing up, kept working, and kept growing.

I’m proud to have played a small part in his basketball journey, and even more grateful to see how every experience has helped shape the person and coach he has become.

And I have a feeling his story is just getting started.

-Coach Ryan