Information session set for today on business recovery grant
January 31, 2007Nathan Robinson
February 2, 2007
Mike Nowlan is an exchange student at Central Lafourche. Nowlan, a junior, is from Australia and made his way to the United States after meeting with former Nicholls State assistant basketball coach Dave Patrick.
SN: How’d you get here at Central Lafourche?
MN: I knew a basketball coach (Dave Patrick) who lived around here, and his wife does the exchange programs. So I came here to study. And then try out for the team. I was trying to come to play basketball, but also to see what America is like. My main goal is to hopefully try to get to college and play basketball, too. I came to this area because I knew someone.
SN: How has the adjustment to being in America been?
MN: It took me a while to get used to everyone’s accents. And it took me a while to get used to the roads, because we drive on the other side of the road. I get scared in the cars, and stuff. But it’s pretty much the same, just the basketball’s a lot different. It’s a lot more of a faster game, and more athletic players.
SN: What’s your favorite part of being in south Louisiana?
MN: My favorite thing to do here is playing basketball. But I love the food. Awesome Cajun food. Jambalaya. I went to a New Orleans Hornets game against Dallas, and that was awesome. It’s a good environment.
SN: How long have you played basketball?
MN: Probably about five or six years. I used to not play very much, then I decided to train hard. My goal is to try to get to college.
SN: What got you involved in basketball?
MN: Dave Patrick, that coach (at Nicholls), he started coaching me when I younger, and he said if I keep working hard he would help me try to get over. I came to school, so it worked out to come to school here and try to try out.
SN: Do you play any other sports?
MN: I used to play a lot of tennis and AFL football, which is an Australian game. Sort of like rugby, just no padding and stuff like that.
SN: Say something about coach Paul Paille that maybe nobody but the team knows.
MN: He knows a lot about the game. He devotes his time to everything. I’m trying to adjust my shot a little, and I had my elbow out a little bit. So he’d pick me up at 5 a.m., and bring me here to shoot. He’s just been helping me. He’ll shoot with me.
SN: What do you miss most about Australia?
MN: I really want to see my family. I’d like to see all of my friends and family. My first Christmas away, and then it’ll be my birthday over here. So it’ll be different. I’m here to play, so I’m enjoying myself.
