I am Eli Shartouni, Class of 2028, and I attend Ridgefield High School. I started playing basketball when I was 8 years old. As time went on, I started taking the sport very seriously and knew I wanted to play college basketball. My dream has always been to play Division 1 Basketball, and I work tirelessly every day to make my dreams come true. I play on the 17U Blue National Team for DTX Basketball, and I am 14 years old.
My basketball career began playing house basketball throughout elementary school, then eventually playing travel basketball in my middle school years for Ridgefield. During the spring after my 8th grade basketball season, I joined DTX, and this was by far the best decision I have made for my basketball career. Under the guidance of Coach Taylor for about 2 years now, and the rest of the coaching staff, they have taught me numerous lessons about life on and off the court. Through his guidance, I have developed the mental toughness/discipline to push myself every day, as well as created an exceptional skill set.
Ultimately, Coach Taylor has truly changed my mind set and always reminded me that playing college is not easy. It requires a lot of discipline, hard work, and dedication to your craft every single day. I think I have what it takes to be a college player, while continuing to push past my limits every day to be the best person I can be on and off the court.
During my freshman year attending Ridgefield High School, I played on the JV team and Freshman team. Practicing with Ridgefield's Varsity team was difficult in the beginning but as time went on I became used to it. Playing against the Varsity players helped me play at a faster pace and have a better Basketball IQ. I have learned a lot from the whole coaching staff in Ridgefield, and they allow me to continue to learn and push myself in these intense practices.