Photograph courtesy Buckley family
Recent graduate will play lacrosse in college this fall
Colin Buckley has a dream few people share. Buckley wants to be captain—of a commercial ship. Otherwise known as a merchant mariner.
What type of ship? “I can see myself working on container ships, oil tankers, or a barge,” Buckley explains. “I want to get an international trade certification with a deck license. I want to operate vessels of any size anywhere around the world. I can get a military job, but it’s mostly private work.”
Buckley, who has worked on the water since elementary school, has an affinity for the water and the Gunston School senior is ready to put in the work. The 18-year-old will be attending the State University of New York Maritime College for four years in the Bronx, New York, and he can earn a bachelor’s degree in international trade and transportation.
“You have to go through four years of school to get where I want to go,” Buckley explains. “After you graduate, you get certified as the third officer in command on a boat. You can work your way up from there. I can never see myself working an office job.”
This summer, he will continue to build up his experience on the water, working on an oyster farm in Gosnold, Massachusetts, and for the family in Buzzards Bay in the northern part of Massachusetts.
“An oyster farm is a big saltwater pond where we have a bunch of lines that grow oysters,” he says. “I will work for my uncle. I will manage a mooring company and have two people work for me. It’s called Frog Pond Marine.
“I manage the business, which I have done since I was 16,” he adds. “Bigger boats that don’t trust their anchors come and tie up.”
When Buckley, a Chestertown resident, isn’t thinking about the water, he is sharply focused on lacrosse. Buckley considered other colleges for lacrosse—Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Maine Maritime Academy—but settled on New York’s Division III Maritime College because of the fit for academics and athletics—especially the coaching staff.
“I really like how they put academics ahead of athletics because of how rigorous they are,” says Buckley, who carries a 3.3 grade-point average. “They have study halls. And the coaches I met were some of the nicest people I ever met. I would say it’s a great place for me to grow and develop as a player.”
Gunston Boys Lacrosse Coach Teddy Peyton knew that soon after he met the 5-foot-8 Buckley, a transfer, that he would have a positive impact. He is just a winning goalie. Buckley transferred from Connecticut’s Avon Old Farms School, where he played lacrosse for three years.
Buckley made 15 saves in Gunston’s season-opening game versus Pallotti. “He is just great in the cage.” Peyton says. “And an excellent communicator with the defense. He is like having another coach on the field.”
Avon Old Farms High Boys Lacrosse Coach Kyle Jackson saw tremendous growth from Buckley in his three years at the school. Buckley earned varsity MVP honors as a junior. Buckley has played lacrosse since age four and got his start in the Kent County Lacrosse Program. He also played five years of club lacrosse after that.
“He is somebody everybody loves to be around,” Jackson says. “He was very coachable. He is somebody the guys looked up to and really respected.”
Jackson respected Buckley for his career ambition. He talked about it often. “He always knew he wanted to work on a boat,” Jackson recalls. “That’s Colin through and through. That was his passion. When he went home in the summer he was on a boat 24/7.”
