Volume XIII Exclusive: Zach Allmon

Many Vanguardians whom have attended a men’s basketball game or two have had the chance to see Zach Allmon play. Originally from San Luis Obispo, I had the chance to speak to the now Vanguard Lion. In the late morning under that shade of Samson’s Cafe I was able to sit with Zach and get to talk to him a little about his experience.

Out of highschool he attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on scholarship, the first person to get a basketball scholarship there in many years. Zach chose Cal Poly San Luis Obispo because he was from there and he wanted to be the kid everyone knew from the area; the hometown hero. Unfortunately, soon after arriving, he decided to redshirt. This means that he could attend practice and dress for games, but never compete. Zach started to dread practices and basketball lost some of its fun. Zach was in a dark place, but in this time though, he determined that he was to ri“Grow into a man of God and a future husband, and father I wanted to be.  And Vanguard was that place”.

Zach started to play basketball at the age of four at a YMCA league. He says that the the league he was in had five and six year olds and that he was, “clearly not ready to play”. His mother he said, “fudged the signup sheet and said I was old enough to play.” So from the age of four he had started playing organized basketball. He would continue to play all the way through middle school and High school as well, eventually to Cal Poly and Vanguard.

 Zach says he loves basketball and that is an amazing game. The game has been there to teach him about life and himself that he wouldn’t have learned otherwise. Another aspect that really drives him in the game and also is a source for his love for it is because it allows him to travel and meet many people from all over. Above all else, he says it is a gift from God for him to play and glorify God through his commitment to the game.

I asked Zach what some of his plans for the future were, post Vanguard. I was curious as to whether he intended to keep playing or take a separate path. It was clear basketball was going to continue in his life. He said his plan was to play overseas in somewhere like Australia or Germany  for a professional team and it looks like he will have plenty of opportunity to do so. He said he loves Vanguard because the people and professors here really get to know you and you aren’t just a number to them.

 Zach is a blessing to our basketball team as well as Vanguard as a whole. His talent and devotion to God really epitomize the personality and heart of a Christian athlete. Many new experiences and opportunities await him in the future that God has set for him, and until then we can continue to see him represent the Lion Pride.