By: Logan Shea
SEATTLE- From the echoing halls of O'Dea, where boys embark on their journey into manhood, emerges the compelling tale of Timmy Daly.
"When I was a freshman, I was a little punk, but I left a better person."
As he stepped into O’Dea, Daly, underwent a transformation, catalyzed by the crucible of early morning workouts orchestrated by Coach Paynter. These 6 am sessions and after-school lifts not only sculpted his physique but also laid the foundation for invaluable discipline and work ethic.
However, athletics still posed its challenges. Daly, not naturally gifted with size, faced a setback with being cut from the freshman basketball team, an experience he recalls as a low point in his freshman year.
"I wasn’t confident; I didn’t really feel like I fit in," he confesses.
Yet, adversity became his catalyst for change. Motivated, he immersed himself in the gym and redirected his focus towards lacrosse. playing mainly junior varsity his first season and not getting a shot to play varsity until his senior year due to the Coronavirus pandemic that swept the nation his junior year.
His senior lacrosse season, that was filled with high hopes after a dedicated year of training while in quarantine, took an unexpected turn.
With Daly vividly recounting, “It was the second game of the season, and I was making a cut when all of a sudden something just felt off, and I went down."
A subsequent diagnosis revealed a partially torn MCL, a formidable obstacle that temporarily sidelined him.
Yet, Daly's resilience prevailed. Despite his injury, he supported his teammates in their pursuit of the metro championship, his return for the last two games culminated in a triumphant victory over Prep and an outstanding ending to his four years at O’Dea.
"I wouldn’t trade my four years at O’Dea for anything, and I truly mean that."
Now a junior at Saint Mary’s College in California, thriving as a star player on the Gaels Men's Lacrosse team, Daly attributes his success to the discipline instilled at O’Dea. He navigates the delicate balance between college sports and academics, emphasizing the pivotal role of O’Dea's teachings.
In offering advice to underclassmen at O’Dea, Daly implores, "Get involved, just get involved in any way you can, whether it’s sports, clubs, or volunteering. Be a part of the brotherhood and benefit the brotherhood."
For young O’Dea students, Timmy Daly's narrative stands as a testament to hard work, perseverance, and sacrifice a living embodiment of the adage that O’Dea turns boys into men.
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