Robinson and Hoff awarded as top senior athletes

Robinson+receiving+her+blanket+

Robinson receiving her blanket

Lacey O'Neal, Staff Reporter

Tessa Robinson and Cameron Hoff were given the top award a Tracy High School senior athlete could receive: a custom, embellished blanket for their outstanding performance in Tracy High sports.

Robinson was an exceptional athlete who played water polo and basketball. For both sports she earned the spot as team captain and won numerous awards including: MVP, MIP, and scholar athlete.

Basketball, her preferred sport, has taught her a lot about self-determination and self-motivation. It has been her biggest influence in life, which is why her favorite and most important moment was senior night.

She loves to participate in sports and is constantly motivated by her dad.

“It makes him happy when I play and seeing him happy makes me . . . strive to do better,” Robinson said.

She was the only one of her siblings to play sports and she’s glad she did.

When playing, she is driven by the adrenaline and overall atmosphere of a game. The main reason why she is successful is her attitude;

“You can’t beat yourself up about something, just stay positive and work on what you did wrong.”

The main lesson she took from being an athlete was that “you’re not always going to be the best.”

Even though she is not planning to play basketball in college, she did have a chance to practice with some college girls. That experience made her realize that even though she was the MVP and the team captain, over confidence should be replaced with an open mind to criticism.

Girls’ basketball coach, Derek Solano, said, “She showed everyone in the program what it meant to work hard and the rewards and acknowledgements that come along with it . . . As an athlete, I appreciate her willingness to listen, follow instructions and work hard.”

When Robinson was told she was named the top senior girl athlete she was “completely shocked.”

“I didn’t know I was that good and I was really surprised all the coaches thought so,” Robinson said.

Hoff has been playing baseball and soccer ever since he was young. However, if he could pick his favorite sport, it would be baseball. Baseball has always been what he likes best, and he loves the feeling he gets from it, making it clear to see why me won most inspirational this year.

“I’m planning on going to San Francisco State for baseball . . . not on a scholarship, but I’ve been trying to talk to the coaches there,” Hoff said.

The biggest thing Hoff gets from his sports career is a chance to bond with his teammates and a great experience that will follow him throughout his life.

“We get to know each other better and bond as a team,” Hoff said.

The overall feeling of being on a team and meeting new friends helped make his seasons at Tracy High more memorable.

“My drive would be trying to be the best I could be,” Hoff said. He wants to make all of his friends and family proud since they always support him in his athletics. Like Robinson, it makes him strive to do better when he sees his family happy.

Hoff’s sports career at Tracy High has shown him that, “when you really want something you really have to work for it. You need to give it your all if you want to succeed.”

Hoff and baseball coach Vic Alkire
Hoff and baseball coach Vic Alkire

 

When he found out he was named the top senior male athlete he was so shocked and only found out after his game that night. He felt that “it was a great honor” and was “really happy they would choose me.”