Being persistent has really paid off for former Cal Poly basketball student manager Ryan Darling. Darling started out his collegiate basketball career as a walk-on with Cal Poly as a student manager, walk-on, and finally ended his career as a starter where he averaged only 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 points per game.
From Student Manager To Professional Basketball Player
His basketball aspirations were not done in college, so Darling marketed himself after the season:
“As soon as spring break was over and the new quarter began, I started making videos, creating contacts and speaking with agents, coaches and players with overseas experience,” Darling said. “I sent out a massive amount of e-mails, first to agents and then to individual clubs. My initial plan was to obtain a contract by having videos and my resume out to agents and clubs.”
That did not work out all that well, but Darling did not give up there and attended a tryout camp where he received a few professional offers:
When that process failed to yield the desired results, Darling attended a training and exposure camp in Macedonia. He eventually received three professional offers from clubs in Germany and one in Slovakia before signing with SC Rasta Vechta.
Darling ended up signing in the German league Bundesliga Pro B. Darling on September 27th, and is able to continue his basketball career. Not a bad climb by Darllng who started off as the teams student manager and then coming from a minor basketball school.
See More:
