In order to prevent pushing and overcrowding, The Toronto Transit Commission places stickers on the inside doors of subway cars reading “Be Safe and Considerate.” While fourth-year Varsity Blues basketball player Nick Snow hails from London, Ontario, he lives near the Athletic Centre, and does not face a long commute to home games. For games at nearby Ryerson University, the basketball team doesn’t travel by bus, and instead are given the option of taking the subway. If the team were to ever come across the “Be Safe and Considerate” stickers on the way to a game, they might recognize that this description aptly befits Nick Snow and his approach to the game.
The “safe” part of Snow’s approach has been documented before, but remains extremely compelling. Yet the “considerate” Nick Snow is rarely mentioned in print, but is an absolutely essential part of his character. From the first on-court interview, Snow is extremely personable and generous with his time. A gargantuan 6’7” power forward and centre, Snow is extremely honest, but quite humble, always praising his teammates. From this first interview, it is apparent that Snow is well brought up, and furthermore, his consideration extends beyond his inner circle.
Standing against a wall along with his teammates prior to a playoff game against Queen’s, Snow offers up a friendly gesture of familiarity, and engages in a short chat. Afterwards, Snow wins the MVP of the game trophy. Many athletes are unapproachable before a game, but Snow seems to be motivated by knowing that others are cheering for him.
During a later interview, Snow remains his gracious and considerate self. He sits patiently, answering a barrage of questions, long after he gulps down his hot chocolate. His enthusiasm never lags, and afterwards, he profusely offers his thanks. Snow is clearly focused in his desire to be a well-rounded player. When speaking of his game, Snow stresses the importance of striving to play smart.
“I know how to play basketball,” said Snow. “I know when to shoot, when to pass, when to defend, when I need to score, how to get it, when I need to get a stop defensively, and when I need to foul. Those are the kinds of things that I learn through experience and can’t really be taught”.
Snow is thrilled with his decision to come to the University of Toronto. “[U of T] is a good program, with a great coach, really good players, good people, it’s just a good situation to be in,” he said. “[The team] supports each other so much. A lot of teams would not be able to say that to each other. We communicate very well, [both on and off the court].”
Snow is full of his praise for his coach, Mike Katz. “I talk to my coach a lot about becoming a complete basketball player, rather than just someone that can shoot very well.” Snow is most comfortable when leading by example, inspiring his teammates with his tremendous work ethic.
He works harder than other players, and this is where the “safe” part of his personality comes into play. Snow has autoimmune hepatitis, a rare disease in which his immune system attacks his liver. Snow’s condition led to Stage IV scarring, causing an enlarged spleen. Doctors told Snow that he would never play basketball again, due to the damage that the game would cause to his spleen. But instead of giving up, Snow actually sped up his recovery. He helped to design a custom made spleen protector with the sports medicine clinic at U of T. Snow’s idea was to fashion a rugby ball as the main source of protection. He notices that he moves differently when wearing the device, but incorporates the differences into his game.
While Snow shook off the suggestion that his medical condition has helped him to improve as a player, he emphatically stated that it helped him in another way. “[This experience] has helped enhance who I am as a person,” he reflected. “I used to sort of define myself as a basketball player. Now, I am thankful that I can play basketball, and that I am blessed with this one of a kind spleen protector. But at the same time, [basketball] does not define who I am. It is not a part of me. It is just something I do that I love to do.”
Snow’s easygoing nature permeates his entire basketball experience. Oddly, Snow wears number 13 at home, and number 32 on the road. The reason? Someone lost his number 13 road jersey. As befitting his personality, Snow took this mishap in stride, and ran with it, now wearing both numbers. While basketball may not define Snow as a person, it shows his desire to work hard, and to be safe and considerate. “I am always striving to be a more complete basketball player […] It’s just a matter of improving all the things I need to improve.”
