Growing up, a lot of little kids say they want to be professional athletes. To make this dream a reality, one Pratt Community College alumni came to the United States for college and is now playing professionally in Germany.
Nikolas Skouen came to PCC from Norway in the fall of 2010 to major in psychology and play on the men’s basketball team.
“Being away from home was an obstacle, but I have always been very focused on my goals so it felt like I was doing the right thing,” he said.
Skouen said he found PCC through one of his trainers, who knew the PCC coaching staff. Skouen didn’t have any offers to play in Norway so he asked the trainer to put in a good word for him.
He said once he got to PCC, he knew he made the right decision.
“Pratt gave me a lot of opportunity with playing time and by putting the ball in my hands so I could be successful and get to the next level,” he said.
After his time at PCC, he went on to Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., where he continued to play basketball and received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
Skouen said moving to Kansas was quite a culture shock for him, having only been to the United States once before and that was Dallas.
“People talked and dressed so difference with their cowboy boots and all,” he said. “I was expecting to see skyscrapers everywhere but didn’t see that until I got to California.”
Even though it was different than what he thought it would be, Skouen said the people in Pratt made the experience better than what he ever could have imagined because of how nice they were.
Last year, Skouen helped his team win the championship averaging 22 points per game, 44 percent shooting and three assists per game.
“My goal is to make it to the best team in Europe as a good and important player that makes a positive impact on the team and community,” he said. “I want to reach as high as I can.”
Skouen said this should be all students’ goals when they are in college or thinking about what they want to do with their future.
“Use the time you are given to work hard and stay focused on your goals and then work towards them daily,” he said.
When he isn’t playing basketball, Skouen likes to hike, attend church, have movie nights with great food and stay active.
