And if he was a member of the Jamestown High School Class of 2019, he’d bet on the rest of his classmates too.

And if he was with members of graduating seniors, he’d bet on them too.

Entering Chautauqua Institution grounds as Jamestown High School seniors for the last time, members of the Class of 2019 left as graduates and alumni forever.

Completing the journey they began four years ago, the graduating senior class of 2019 waited anxiously in the seats of Chautauqua Institution’s Amphitheater before their names were called one at a time.

Messages were heard from Dr. Mike McElrath, JHS principal; Finley Holt, valedictorian; Emily Spitz, salutatorian; Bret Apthorpe, Jamestown Public Schools superintendent; and Hodgson, the commencement speaker and current assistant coach of the University of Alabama basketball team.

This year’s graduation was increasingly significant because it served as McElrath’s final ceremony as the high school principal as he’ll be taking over principal duties at the Success Academy opening in the fall.

McElrath, during his remarks, wished his final class well and received a standing ovation.

Making a return to the area and the JHS atmosphere was Hodgson.

He is a 2005 graduate of JHS, a characteristic he honors and a primary reason he was able to pursue his career of passion.

“Find something you love doing and you will never work a day in your life,” he told an audience full of graduating seniors.

Hodgson took the audience through an abridged version of his story thus far.

From playing basketball at JHS with less than average performances, as he described it, to coaching for Jamestown Community College, then a two-year school in Texas where he questioned everything, and back to New York to coach at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

And now, to his current role as assistance coach of an NCCA Division I college.

Hodgson is an adopted child, a not-so-great student athlete — again as he described it — and a former college student who didn’t know what he wanted to do. Through all of that, Hodgson wanted the students before him to know that eventually he bet on himself and it paid off.

“Lastly, serve and help others, it is the most rewarding experience you will ever have in life, something no amount of money can buy, and something you can hang your hat on forever,” he said.

Two of those students he’d be willing to bet on, were Holt and Spitz, both finishing top two in their class.

For Holt, he will be attending Case Western Reserve University to study biology with the goal of going to medical school to become a doctor.

Holt took stage, stood behind the podium and pulled out a pizza box.

To him, the last four years was like making a New York City-style pizza.

With freshman year being the rising dough, sophomore year serving as the sauce, junior year similar to the cheese and senior year being the pepperoni topping, Holt likened the class’ always growing experiences to one of his favorite dishes.

But while Holt acknowledged that his experience and that of his fellow classmates is just beginning he asked them to take a moment to recognize their accomplishment before them.

“The oven can wait until tomorrow. Tonight is a night for celebration,” Holt said. “Grab graduation by the crust and enjoy it.”

While for Spitz, she will be attending Allegheny College to major in biochemistry with the goal of practicing medicine.

Her speech compared their experience to swimming and being able to hold their head above water.

She hoped all graduates could find a career path they thoroughly enjoy and love.

“Michael Phelps once said, ‘I found something I love, and I never gave up,'” Spitz ended her address.

Whatever it is the class of 2019 decides to do, their fellow alumnus, Hodgson, will be betting on them.