By Colin Walsh ‘25
My time at Brother Rice has been unforgettable. From sitting in the stands as a young fan to making the All-Tournament basketball team in seventh grade, to reaching the state tournament and creating lifelong memories with teammates I’ll always love—it’s been a journey I’ll never forget.
High school has been a roller coaster. I’ve battled injuries and made it into my dream college, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Basketball has always been a huge part of my life, but it’s the people I met through the game who made the experience truly special.
My older brother, Charlie Walsh ’23, used to drag me out to play with him—and little did I know those moments wouldn’t last forever. Now, it’s my turn to head off to college and take the next step. I’m no longer just my parents’ little boy.
I owe so much to Brother Rice. This school taught me lessons I’ll carry for life—how to build real friendships, how to step outside of my comfort zone, and how to grow as a person.
Ironically, school was never my favorite thing, but looking back, I hated the breaks more than I hated being in class. That says a lot.
I want to thank Mr. Swynenburg for always being there for me. Even though he might favor Chuck, he never hesitated to check in and make sure I was doing okay.
To Colin Marron, Sean Hannon, and Kyle Fehsel—you’ve stuck with me since first grade. Thank you for accepting me, for being there, and for letting me lean on you when I needed it most.
Time moves fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you just might miss it.
And I will miss it.
