Where are they now?

A recent poll listed current Colorado State University basketball player Trace Young as a notable athlete from Dripping Springs High School. Around the same time, Young was in the process of setting a remarkable team record for the Rams’ basketball program.

Young is a business marketing major at Colorado State and a preferred walk-on for the basketball team. He jokes that the minutes he gets at the end of games is a completely different atmosphere than when he was hitting spinning fadeaway three-pointers to win games for the Tigers.

“This is my third year at CSU, and I go in for the trash minutes at the end of games, but I’m figuring out how to go hard in practice, give everything I have and then get none of the glory in the games,” shared Young in describing the differences. “There are none of those feelings of hitting the big shot or anything like that. I’m growing as I learn how to be the best teammate that I possibly can.”

Being the best teammate is a lesson gleaned in his senior year at Dripping Springs. Faced with a rib separation injury, Young was sidelined early in the season.

Coach Craig Swannack watched Young struggle to find his place during the five games he missed but was proud to see Young’s character and leadership emerge on the sideline. Young remained a contributor, acting almost as a player-coach from the bench and going above and beyond to build up the team.

“Trace was one of the most talented players I’ve had during my time with the Tigers,” Swannack said. “He is certainly one of the highest-character young men to pass through the program. He’s incredibly humble and such a hard worker.”

“Trace knew he always had a bigger purpose,” Swannack continued. “He was the consummate teammate. He had an energy about him that just naturally drew people in. He’s the guy I’d trust for my own child to look up to and genuinely one of the best human beings to be around.”

“I was out for a while during my senior season, and I struggled with it because I wanted to play. I think it taught me a lot of lessons about how I can contribute to the team when I'm not playing that have carried over to college,” recalled Young. “I’m on the sidelines every game watching the younger guys when I usually step in and take over. I had to really pray about my role, learn to be humble and trust that everything happens for a reason.”

What Young learned and has applied is how to be the team’s biggest fan, picking his teammates up on the bench. Young says his goal now is to be ‘the energy guy’ — to the point that he’s well-known for his enthusiasm on the sideline during games, pumping up the crowd as well as his teammates.

“It seems like I'm notorious for that in CSU athletics right now — in this big university, at least in social media following and awareness — and it makes me feel like I’m fulfilling my purpose where I’ve been placed. I've been told that it's really interesting for someone who's not getting a whole lot of playing time to be recognized,” Young mused.

Rams’ assistant coach Joe De Ciman affirmed Young’s self-assessment.

“Trace is a talented athlete with an infectious personality,” Ciman said. “He’s impacted our program and community in a positive way from the moment he stepped foot in Fort Collins. He pushes his teammates and implements what the coaching staff asks of him on the court. Trace is simply an incredible person.”

Young’s history of implementing instruction and hard work has been a constant in his life and paid off recently. In third grade, Young decided he wanted to dunk a basketball and learn it as an artform. His father researched workouts and videos that would help the youngster develop the muscles and explosive movements necessary.

“I've always loved jumping,” Young recalled. “I was obsessed with being able to dunk when I was in elementary school. My dad printed off a list of workouts and I did a couple of them religiously. I would get off the bus, drop my backpack, and do box jumps on a bench outside my house. I would knock out like 100 box jobs right there after school.”

“Just before I went to bed, I was doing 100 single leg calf raises as a third grader,” Young continued. “Dad bought me an adjustable backboard, raising it to keep me challenged, until I was dunking at regulation height.”

That commitment to purpose and joy in goal accomplishment paid off as Young set the Colorado State University vertical jump record a few weeks ago. At 6’3”, weighing 185, Young said he clearly is not the most athletic of the team.

“My teammates have this God-given crazy athleticism. I’m not naturally explosive, but I've always worked on dunking, so I'm a better dunker than some of those guys who are way longer than I am,” Young said. “I actually get up higher, and I enjoy between the legs and those 360 [degree] dunks, all that stuff. They knew I could get up, but doing a 46inch vertical surprised everyone, including myself.”

Young shares that his character development comes from great parents and faith developed in relationship with good churches and organizations.

“My mom and dad are so solid and have ingrained a strong work ethic as well as a sound biblical faith. I attended Austin Ridge Church back home and was involved in youth ministry and music. That crossed over to Mill City Church in Fort Collins where I play music,” commented Young. “I’m deeply involved in Athletes in Action — an evangelical, non-denominational ministry using the platform of sports — leading bible studies with my teammates and developing future leaders.”

When asked about his next steps, Young was noncommittal. For now, the young athlete is developing a social media following on Instagram (@tracecreates) using professional photography and media production to assist getting through college.

“I enjoy communicating with people and enjoy sports. If there's a way in the future that I could find a way to combine business and sports right out of college to get my career going, it’d fulfill my passions,” commented Young. “My dad has a basketball sports technology company. I can see myself returning to Austin to help out and get started, but I’m in a long-distance relationship with my girlfriend from Atlanta, GA. I know she would really love to go back to Atlanta and I can see myself there, maybe, someday. Who knows? I’ve learned to watch because everything happens for a reason.”

That’s such a good motto for life.