By Blake Chadwick

Trinity Academy’s Kolton Shaffer has been playing basketball since he was about five years old. For Shaffer, the work doesn’t stop, whether he is training, playing in the MOKAN fall league or playing summer basketball, he is always trying to get better. 

This summer, Shaffer took a different route. The junior traveled to Austria with the STUDENTathleteWorld Tours (SaWUSA). 

“Playing in Austria was very unique and unlike anything I’ve ever done in my life,” Shaffer said. “I was surrounded by a lot of outstanding players and coaches that knew the game of basketball very well.”

Shaffer was quickly exposed to the differences within the game of basketball overseas. 

“The thing that stood out to me the most was definitely the atmosphere,” Shaffer said. “The fans and teams were very loud and playing in the games felt electric.” 

The junior excelled but had some challenges early on. 

“Some challenges I faced was learning how to defend the tempo and pace that European teams played at,” Shaffer said. “The court size was also a big challenge as the euro courts are slightly smaller but you can definitely feel the impact of it during the game.” 

As the first game nears, the point guard is more than ready to take his summer and build on it now with Trinity. 

“I believe my coaches will have the team well prepared to take on any team we face on our schedule,” Shaffer said. “Our team is overlooked right now but I think we can do some serious damage in the CPL.”