Help Wanted
My Buckhannon is looking for freelance writers who love their town and want to help share the stories that make Upshur County special. Read more →
This story brought to you paywall-free, courtesy of the My Buckhannon team and our community partners
TENNERTON — As part of our commitment to delivering the strongest sports coverage in Upshur County, the My Buckhannon sports department is proud to bring you another installment of our exclusive series, Raising the Jolly Roger With…
The weekly feature spotlights a Buckhannon-Upshur senior student-athlete, offering readers a closer look at the personalities, motivations and stories behind the athletes who anchor Buccaneer sports.
This week’s student-athlete is Brady Hommema — enjoy getting to know him.
1. Please list all the sports you have played at B-U and what year did you play them? Soccer: Freshmen-Senior year. Track: Junior-Senior year. Lacrosse: Junior-Senior year
2. What was your favorite athletic moment at Buckhannon-Upshur that you participated in? Scoring the equalizer off of a header in last year’s playoff game against Parkersburg South.
3. Describe your toughest practice at Buckhannon-Upshur. What sport and who was the coach? My freshmen year of two a day soccer practices under (Mike) Donato were brutal. It was a ton of running and all of it was timed. It was a real wake up call to what high school soccer is all about.
4. Do you have a favorite saying from one of your coaches? “DEFENSE PUSH UP!” -Greg Abel. Unfortunately we have to be reminded every so often. Coach Abel keeps us accountable and on our toes.
5. What was or is your favorite class you have taken at Buckhannon-Upshur and who taught it? Why was it your favorite? Digital Imaging with Mrs. Jones my sophomore year. Having freedom during class time around campus with my friends made for countless hilarious moments we still talk about to this day.
6. What is your favorite thing about being a Buccaneer? My favorite thing about being a Buccaneer is being around the friends I have made in classes and sports.
7. If you were asked to play another sport, what would it be and why? If I was asked to play another sport I would play golf. I have recently taken to playing golf when I get the chance, so playing it competitively would be very fun.
8. Who is your hero and why? I wouldn’t say I have just one hero. My mom and dad both are my heroes. They make sure to show up to every single one of my games no matter how far. They go the extra mile to not just support me in sports or school, but everything. I couldn’t be anymore grateful for my heroes, my parents.
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? I would like to be a civil engineer one day.
10. What are your initial plans after graduation this spring? I would like to go to college and get a degree, from there start the rest of my life I guess.
11. What question do you hate to answer? I wouldn’t say there is a specific question I do not like, but questions about myself in general aren’t my favorite. I don’t want to come off as someone who brags or compares myself to other people.
12. Who is the best athlete in your family? I would say at the moment I am the most athletic in my family. My younger brother might rival me soon though.
13. Do you have a favorite vacation spot? If so, where? My favorite spot is a lake in Wisconsin we travel to yearly. I enjoy fishing as a hobby and I can fish as much as I want there.
14. What is your favorite food and one thing you won’t eat? My favorite food is chicken because of its versatility and macros. One thing I will not eat is ketchup, I don’t like ketchup at all.
15. What advice would you give to a young athlete ready to start his/her time as a Buccaneer? Take no game or practice for granted. Time flies faster than you will ever realize. It feels like just a couple months ago I was a freshmen fighting for a starting spot, now I’m a senior looking at the end of my career. I thought people were silly when they warned me how fast things would fly by. Cherish every moment of the sport you love.
