There are kids who are stuck in there environment. Sometimes this I a good thing if the environment is filled with gym rats and next level talent. Then again, there are environments where the program is highly successful and the kids are next level students and good teammates. But often this is not enough when you trying to get to the next level as a player, you must be surrounded by like minded people.
Coach Matt McCarthy of TRINITY HALL has done one of the best rebuilding jobs in recent Shore history. They have gone from a rag, tag operation to a Top 20 program in the state . These days they are trying to maintain all the greatness that took place during the Nina Emnace era. Nina Emnace, the 2024 PLAYER OF THE YEAR, was a gym rat during her time at Trinity Hall. If the truth be told she was one of the few gym rats in the highly successful program. These days WHITNEY HOBSON has picked up the mantle. She is the program’s biggest gym rat. It could be why she is emerging into one of the best players in the program. It’s why she was named a captain. It’s why she has played lights out in the fall league. Whitney Hobson is the backbone of Trinity Hall and there going nowhere fast without her.
While Trinity Hall has talent like future D1 swing, Grace FEENEY. They don’t have kids who eat, sleep and drink basketball. That’s because they have well rounded players, who are elite students that go to the best academic schools in America(Harvard, Princeton, Tufts). This is not RBC or SJV where the roster is made up of D1 players. Where development is more about survival or be left behind. If a TRINITY players wants a taste of the big show in college. They are forced to break away and fine competition outside there environment and then jump into the belly of the beast. TRINITY HALL has young hungry talent. But more importantly their talented young players have D1 talent and a role model to show them the way in WHITNEY HOBSON. That’s because despite being a MEGA student. Whitney Hobson, has found a way to elevate her game though embracing hard work and living in the gym.
There was a time Whitney Hobson, was viewed as just another smart kid who plays basketball. She was an afterthought, like so many other kids not part of the gym rat crowd. Nobody thought of her as a possible D1 player. Most paid little attention to her. That has all changed in the past year. Now Whitney Hobson has the respect of the killers and the impact players, the players who move the needle.
These days everyone knows Whitney has serious game. They know her three point shooting is real, her mid range game is legit and she can get to the rim vs REAL COMPETITION. You see Whitney Hobson, has just out worked everyone. It’s why I believe that if you’re in the IVY LEAGUE you must pay attention. That’s because WHITNEY HOBSON is not done yet. Her game seems to grow every time you watch her play. She left the highly regarded Shoreshots Liggio team last summer. She gave up a massive amount of exposure in doing so. Just so that she could play the point guard position and have the ball in her hands more. She wanted to improve, not worry about recruiting and hype. She wanted to first get better. You see WHITNEY is very smart, there are few kids these days that focus on improvement in the summer.
Whitney Hobson is competitive in everything she does. On the court she is a perfectionist and constantly asking questions. She is the queen of little things, the intangibles. She never takes short cuts. It nothing new to see Whitney get in the gym and Shoot for 2 hours and then stick around to do homework before a fall league game or workout. See Whitney is different and thinks different. She shows up for a 2 hour shooting session, then rushes to Trinity Hall for a captains practice. You never see her leaving the gym for any weak or fake reason. She puts her work in and is committed to being the best she can be that day. When you talk about stacking… she is the QUEEN!
TRINITY HALL has one of the best programs in New Jersey these days. But Whitney knows if she wants to be known as more than a good player who is a great student. She has to take the lessons she learned from Nina Emnace and do her own thing in the off season. She knows she has to work like the big dogs work. Then bring it back to Trinity Hall for all to see. Now her goal is to teach the young Trinity Hall players the trick to getting to the next level as a player. Soon Trinity Hall won’t be know just for being a great program… but for having GYM RATS AS WELL….players who are ready and want to play at the next level. Players like WHITNEY HOBSON
NEXT THURSDAY AND FRIDAY
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