The game of basketball may be a game for some, but for others, it is an opportunity that can open doors that once seemed unimaginable. Created for fitness and social activity, basketball can carry a deeper meaning beyond exercise. For Pace University’s Assistant Basketball Coach, John Merceus, the game of basketball has saved his life.
Coach Merceus was first introduced to Pace University just after his senior year of high school back in 2010. He was a highly touted recruit but failed to qualify for the Division 1 level due to his low SAT score. Luckily for him, the head coach for Pace Men’s Basketball at the time was able to put together money and offer Merceus a scholarship. He described his first year as a “rough adjustment” The college level of Division II was above the skill and physicality level that he was used to. The doubtful thoughts of failure and even transferring were considered. Luckily, he never followed through. Merceus’s freshman and sophomore years would only be the stepping stones for years to come.
By his senior year, Merceus gained his footing and shifted into a new gear of dominance and leadership. He was a scoring and rebounding leader for Pace. He also stood out amongst his peers in his conference. Merceus averaged 16 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, which ranked him in the Top 10 of the Ne-10 Conference.
When asked about Merceus as a player, Head Coach Matthew Healing stated ” He was a player that was committed and would do anything for his team to win.”
As a team captain, it was clear Merceus had established himself and found his basketball identity. When his playing career came to an end there was a question about how Merceus could see himself. He described himself as a knucklehead kid with no true plan, but to play basketball. When the doors of opportunity seemed to close, there was one phone call that would change his life.
Life after college was described as “tough.” Merceus found himself working at an alternative school in Philadelphia. His love for basketball had not withered, but coaching and overseas opportunities ran thin. That was until Merceus received a call from Coach Healing. He asked him to rejoin the Pace Family and join the coaching staff. Thrilled for this opportunity, he accepted and became a volunteer coach.
Merceus’s coaching career began in 2016, and he credited himself on the staff that would be the spark of Coach Healing’s first real “winning seasons.” In the following years, he was promoted to a grad-assistant position on the staff, and eventually the head assistant.
Coach Merceus remains the Pace Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach. He has been a part of multiple successful seasons throughout his coaching career. Merceus described his favorite coaching moment as the time he witnessed his daughter cheering him on before a game. ” It was that moment I saw her and realized she was truly proud of her father” he said.
Merceus’s favorite thing about coaching is seeing the same staff and faculty he knew while playing at Pace. Now he has developed a newfound respect for his growth and maturity not only as a player to coach but as a human being. The future is bright for Coach Merceus as he plans to continue his career. One day, he hopes to fulfill the full circle moment by becoming the potential head coach for Pace University when all is set and done.