The following story is the latest in a spotlight series of SWOSU student-athletes from the Weatherford Daily News and was published in the newspaper on March 2nd.
 
 
SWOSU athlete Nick Shoemaker, of Bartlesville, says the most important thing a coach has ever taught him is the value of hard work.
 
"Wins and losses come and go, but if you can learn to work hard every day and be a great teammate, then that can take you a long way in life," Shoemaker said.
 
He remembers being involved in basketball at a young age, playing in YMCA and Upward leagues when he was young.
 
Coming to SWOSU, Shoemaker and his team hoped to win a conference championship. Despite their attempts to achieve this goal falling short, he admits they "made a good run at it." As a personal goal, Shoemaker remembers Coach Battisti telling him he had the potential to become the all-time leading three-point shooter at SWOSU, and he continues to work toward this record.
 
Shoemaker describes his transition to a college athlete as a challenge. When he arrived at SWOSU, his coaches told him he needed to work on his strength. Besides working on his skills as an athlete, he had to learn to manage his time efficiently to keep up with his classes and still devote a majority of his time to his sport.
 
He admits he still gets nervous before games, even to this day in the last few games of his college career.
 
"I think nerves are good because it means you care and are ready to play," Shoemaker said. "I handle them now better than I ever have, and never let them impact me in a negative way."
 
While he doesn't have any specific pre-game routines, Shoemaker says he makes sure to get up as many shots as he needs to feel confident and ready to play. He also makes sure to arrive early enough to watch the Lady Bulldogs play every time.
 
A few of Shoemaker's strengths include shooting the ball, and his work ethic. He attributes his skill to the hours and hours spent practicing his shot in the gym and in his driveway as a child. One thing he wants to improve is being more vocal and serving as a leader and good example for the younger athletes. His work ethic and dedication to his sport have contributed to his success both on and off the court.
 
"I want to be the best and do the best at everything in life," Shoemaker said. "It doesn't matter what it is, if it is my job to get something done then I am going to work as hard as anyone to do that."
 
A phrase Shoemaker tries to remember in his everyday life is "success is no accident." This constantly reminds him he has to work to earn everything he wants.
 
When it comes to sports heroes, Shoemaker chose Tom Brady as his favorite.
 
"Everyone counted him out and no one thought he could even play in the NFL," Shoemaker said. "Now, he is a six-time Super Bowl champion and one of the best to ever play."
 
In his time at SWOSU, Shoemaker said the only thing he would do differently is to appreciate the moments more and not let himself get so caught up in one bad game or one bad loss. To incoming athletes, his advice is to enjoy the process each and every day, love one another and work hard.
 
"No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes, but as long as you work hard and persevere each and every day, then no one can stop where you want to go," Shoemaker said. "If you want to be successful individually and as a team, then you have to be willing to work harder than the rest.