Kate Beinkampen ’19:
The Boys’ Athlete of the Month for February is Matt Dade ‘19, member of Episcopal’s boys’ basketball team. Dade is an essential player on the team, averaging over 20 points a game this season and leading the team to multiple wins.
Dade’s career at EA started his freshman year, but he initially began playing basketball in a recreational league at the age of four. Throughout the years, he has continuously trained on club teams to develop his skills. Last year, Dade started in every game as a sophomore on a team that was led by seniors. Craig Conlin, the Head Basketball Coach at EA, explains that he has trusted Dade to lead the team this season, as his role has changed from a supporting player to a crucial leader.
Conlin characterizes Dade as a “mismatched nightmare” for opposing teams. He explains that, “He is very hard for a guard to cover, regardless of how big they are, but if a larger guard is covering him, Matt can take the ball out on the perimeter and shoot a three pointer.”
Dade’s fondest memory of the 2017-2018 season is EA’s victory over Penn Charter because of the contributions made by the whole team. “We really needed a win against a solid team,” says Dade, “we had lost to them previously so the win really boosted team morale.”
Dade’s commitment to basketball has unfortunately resulted in multiple injuries, namely back and hamstring injuries, that have hindered his abilities slightly. Getting his knees wrapped has even become one of Dade’s pre-game rituals. He had to sit out for three games this season, but was back on the court within a couple of weeks. John Macelwee ‘19 comments, “He plays through his injuries. He has not been 100% healthy this entire season but he still plays to his full potential.”
As a junior, Dade is heavily relied on by coaches and teammates. “Matt brings his energy to the games and practices,” says Jack O’Reilly ‘19. “He is a great scorer and helps us a lot offensively.” Dade tends to lead the team by example, as emphasized by Alex Capitano ‘20 who says, “He really stepped up this year. Matt brings a lot of energy on the court and expects the same from me and the rest of our teammates.”
Dade attributes much of his personal success, as well as the team’s achievements, to the guidance of the coaches. “They train us hard so we are ready for anything in the games.” Coach Conlin explains, “We push [Matt] hard because he is such a good player.”
Despite a tough season, Dade hopes for a strong outcome in the PAISAA tournament and has high expectations for next year. Coach Conlin credits Dade for much of the team’s success this year and has high expectations for the following season. “His contributions to the team have been tremendous and I don’t want to think about where we would be without him.”