CASEY McGINN: LOYALTY, HARD WORK AND A WINNING ATTITUDE. STEVENSON UNIVERSITY GOT IT RIGHT!

Some players are defined by their talent. Others are defined by their character. Casey McGinn has always had both. Today is not about her jump shot, her defensive or ball handling. That speaks for itself. Today I want to tell you about Casey McGinn. I want to tell about a very special young lady and family. I want to tell you senior at NBS is going to very special.
I have known Casey McGinn since she was in the third grade. In fact, it seems like she has been driving over the Verrazano Bridge to train with me for as long as she could walk. I’ve had a front-row seat to watch her grow, not just as a basketball player, but as a person. And if there is one thing I can tell you about Casey, it’s that she has never changed who she is.
She has always been a happy kid, a terrific teammate, a loyal friend and, most importantly, a relentless worker. She is the kind of kid every coach wants in the gym and every teammate wants standing beside them when things get difficult.

Now, Stevenson University has made it official: Casey McGinn is going to continue her basketball career in Maryland. And I can’t help but think that Stevenson has a pretty good understanding of the kind of young woman it is getting.
Let’s be honest. Recruiting isn’t just about finding players who can score, jump or make highlight reels. It’s about finding young women who will represent a program, embrace its culture and do the work necessary to improve. Casey checks those boxes. THIS IS A PLAYER WHO WILL BE READY ON DAY ONE OF COLLEGE!
But there is another part of Casey’s story that makes this commitment particularly interesting.

Her BIG sister, Allie, played Division I basketball at Fairleigh Dickinson University( SHE TOO WAS A SHORESHOT FOR LIFE) and is now an assistant coach at the Division II College of Staten Island. Casey has had a front-row seat to the college basketball experience. She has watched her sister navigate recruiting, the demands of college athletics and everything that comes with playing at the next level.
That kind of experience is difficult to put a price on. Casey understands that college basketball isn’t just about the games. It’s about preparation, accountability, sacrifice, academics and learning how to handle adversity. She has seen first hand what it takes.
And then there is something about Casey that I believe separates her from so many players in today’s game: LOYALTY.

Think about it. Throughout her basketball career, Casey has worn only THREE uniforms: Shoreshots, Xaverian High School and St. Teresa.
Two uniforms. One commitment to each program.
In today’s AAU world, where players frequently move from one organization to another, that kind of loyalty is becoming increasingly rare. Sometimes all it takes is a difficult season, a change in playing time or a disagreement for a player to start looking for another uniform.
Not Casey.

She understands something that seems to be getting lost in today’s basketball culture. Adversity is part of the game. Things don’t always go your way. There will be days when you’re frustrated, when you’re challenged and when you have to earn everything you get.
Casey doesn’t run from those moments. She embraces them.
That’s her secret sauce. TOUGHNESS.
And I’m not just talking about physical toughness on a basketball court. I’m talking about the kind of toughness that allows a player to remain committed when things aren’t easy. The kind that makes a teammate dependable and a coach confident. The kind that doesn’t disappear when the scoreboard isn’t favorable. The kind of things that prepare your for college and life.

I’ve watched Casey develop since she was a little girl. I’ve seen the hours she has invested, the trips across the Verrazzano Bridge and the countless opportunities she’s had to become a better player. But what has always impressed me most is that she has never needed to change her personality to fit in.
She can be competitive without losing her smile. She can be fiercely loyal without needing recognition. And she can work hard without making a production out of it.

Those qualities matter. They matter in high school, in AAU and especially in college.
Stevenson isn’t simply getting another basketball player. It’s getting someone who understands the importance of being a teammate, who has grown up around the game and who has already demonstrated that commitment means something. Casey has a new home and she’ll be proud to make fans and the STEVENSON student body PROUD!

There is a big difference between telling people you’re committed and actually living up to that commitment. Casey has spent years showing that she understands the difference. Her dad BRENDAN support and love for her I can’t put into words. His willing to work all night as a NYC COP and then go home to pick his daughter up for training was truly amazing to watch year after year. Her mother COURTNEY was the balance all kids need. Firm and loving and blessed Casey with accountability. Both know how stressful the recruiting world can be . They went through it with her BIG SISTER and role model ALLIE. Casey’s Gand parents should take a bow. Tim one of her GrandFathers was her personal taxi service for years, he taught her disciple. My conversations with over the years were priceless. Her grandmother Barbara was the unwavering cheerleader. Then there is DYLAN, unless you’ve seen Casey around her brother. You really can’t understand a siblings love for each other. The two support each other and more importantly lean on each other. Casey McGinn has had a SUPER FAMILY and I feel blessed to have known them all. They are truly beautiful people, not having a McGuinn next year is going to feel odd and in many ways sad!

I also think her journey sends a message to younger players and their parents. You don’t have to change teams every time something gets difficult. You don’t have to chase every new opportunity or believe that a different uniform automatically means a better future. Sometimes, the greatest development comes from staying in one place, trusting the people around you and continuing to work.
Casey’s story is a reminder that there is more than one way to build a basketball career. Talent opens doors, but character, perseverance and relationships help you walk through them.

I’m particularly proud of Casey because I remember the little girl who first walked into the gym. Today, she’s a college-bound basketball player, but the qualities that made her special back then are still the qualities that make her special now.
And that’s what makes this commitment so rewarding to watch.

Stevenson University didn’t just recruit a basketball player. It recruited a young woman who knows what loyalty means, understands what hard work requires and has never been afraid of a challenge.
Casey, I have watched you grow up, and I couldn’t be happier to see you reach this milestone. Your journey is far from over, but you’ve already demonstrated something that no recruiting service can measure and no highlight tape can capture.
CHARACTER. LOYALTY. TOUGHNESS.

Congratulations, Casey McGuinn. Stevenson is getting a player who knows how to work, a teammate who knows how to care and a young woman who knows how to stay true to herself.
And if your basketball career is any indication, Maryland is about to find out what I’ve known since the third grade.
WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH, CASEY McGUINN GETS TO WORK!

CASEY McGINN OFFICIAL VIDEO: THE WAY YOU ARE:)