A consistent winter Athlete of the Month, I had the chance to sit down with basketball superstar Jayden Holmes-Cotter, a senior forward who is leading the charge of a resurgent Patriots squad. 

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Hey, Jayden! Thank you so much for sitting down for yet another Athlete of the Month interview! 

– No problem, and thank you for having me. 

Alright, let’s get started. I’ll start off simple here. What do you like best about basketball, if you had to choose one aspect?

– Oh, that’s a tough question. I would probably say the competitiveness and just the competitive nature of the game. I think both myself and the team always have the desire to win, and to just be the best versions of ourselves every single day. 

Jayden, where do you spend the majority of your time on the court?

– Most of the time, I play power forward. Sometimes I switch on as the center. 

I’ll pivot here and ask you a bit of a deeper question. What is your favorite memory while playing here for Township? I’m sure there are a lot of them, considering your accolades and accomplishments. 

– I’d say that our victory over Boro (at Boro) my junior year was my favorite memory. It wasn’t even close or nerve-racking, it was just a complete blowout and the whole team was riding high after that win.

Do you embrace your position as a team leader, especially being a senior?

– I do, and I really am blessed to have the opportunity. I like the fact that I can lead by example both for teammates, but also for others, (like little kids) who look up to me as well. I just try to always put my best foot forward and be a good role model for everyone who watches me play or knows me. 

I’ll take the focus away from FTHS for a moment. Who is your professional inspiration or fellow athletes you look up to?

– Kobe, no doubt.

Sorry to cut you off, but I have to get your take on the GOAT tier list. Big 3?

– For me, it goes LeBron, Kobe, Jordan. I can’t necessarily say I have a reason as to why, aside from the fact that I’ve seen LeBron play more than I have seen Kobe and MJ handle the rock.

I can’t argue that, especially considering that James recently broke the NBA’s all-time scoring record. Let’s take a moment to step away from basketball. What is your favorite subject in school, and why?

– History. I actually find history really interesting, because I’m always curious as to what certain times in history were like, since I wasn’t around to experience them.

Do you have a favorite sport outside of basketball?

– Football, no question, It’s just a lot of fun and another sport that I love to play during the basketball off-season.

I didn’t originally have this in my list of questions here, but are you pursuing a college athletics career in basketball, football, or even both?

– To be entirely honest, I have no clue what I am going to do next year in terms of playing college sports. I really just have to sit down and think more about the road ahead.

Well, listen man. You’ve got plenty of opportunities ahead, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I’m sure plenty of schools would love to have you playing for them, as well as contributing academically as a high-achieving student. 

– Thanks man, I appreciate you.

Jayden, could you tell me a little more about your involvement with FTHS outside of school? Any clubs, activities, etc?

– I’m in the Seniors For Seniors club, which I enjoy.

Could you elaborate a little more as to what that is? 

– Sure. Basically, it is a club in which seniors like myself help out the elderly and senior citizens around the local community. I really like to see the compassion we show to the seniors be appreciated by them, and they love it.

Awesome, and that just goes to show how giving back to our community goes both ways. Alright, I’ll wrap things up here with one last question. As a senior and a leader on this team, how do you help your teammates improve?

– I think this really ties back to leading by example, as I said before. It’s about working the absolute hardest I can each and every day, and making sure I am doing everything, (on and off the court), the right way. I’m not always the most vocal guy, but I just want to do everything the coaches want and encourage my teammates to do the same.

Well, Jayden, it always ties back to hard work and discipline, and you are a perfect example of how your dedication has paid off. Thank you for your time!

– Thank you!

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Some of Jayden’s accolades and his overall team impact are listed below.

• Reached 1,000 Career Point milestone vs. Manalapan on 1/9/2023
• A-North Player of the Week
• All WOBM Tournament 1st Team
• Jayden is averaging a double-double in points (23 ppg) and rebounds (14 rpg)

Here’s what Coach Golub had to say about Jayden: “He is the primary focus of every opponent’s defensive game
plan, which frees up opportunities for his teammates. Despite constant double or triple teams, he still is able to “get his” and has helped the team to a 16-3 record and the #8 seed in the Shore Conference Tournament.”