It is senior night for the boys’ basketball team, and the opposing team, Overton High School, is playing harder than expected. Despite beating them twice previously in the season, the basketball team is struggling to keep up and maintain a lead. Suddenly, after a pass and a lob, Travis Smith (12), a transfer from Collierville High School, who has only been on the team for a few months, dunks, posterizing an Overton player.
The decision to transfer for just the last year of high school can be daunting. Along with the uncertainty of college recruitment, players transferring in their senior year have the added stress of fitting in with a new team and coaching staff.
“They have a good culture over there [Collierville High School],” Smith said. “I love the teammates. Coaching is good. But last season wasn’t that great, and I feel like I definitely had a better chance at pursuing a better year this year at White Station.”
Kaden Frazier (12), a current basketball player, originally planted the idea of transferring into Smith’s head. Smith thought about it, decided to condition with the team over the summer and a few months later, he is dunking on players while wearing White Station’s jersey. He cites coaching as a key factor in deciding to transfer.
“Coach Patino’s phenomenal,” Smith said. “He’s probably one of the best coaches I’ve had in my life. He understands basketball in a great way. He knows which teams run which sets against. He knows how to prepare for which teams. He knows how to treat certain players and use them to their strengths.”
Transfers can often cause tension within teams, often causing changes to the lineup, new adaptations in play style and a shift in the team’s dynamic. However, Smith feels that his transition has come with ease.
“[My favorite thing about transferring is] how welcomed I felt here,” Smith said. “I got here [and it] started working out. Everybody felt very welcoming and I wasn’t treated as if I’m just another dude here. Everybody helped me get in the loop very fast.”
Beyond the uncertainty of fitting in with the team, players also have to deal with not knowing if transferring will be good for their development as players. This uncertainty is magnified for seniors, who are in a critical period for college recruitment.
“I’ve definitely grown as a player since I’ve gotten here,” Smith said. “In terms of just everything — offense, defense [and] IQ of the game. Everything’s gotten a lot better since I’ve gotten here.”
The season has not come without struggles. Most of the team’s starting lineup graduated last year, and others have gotten injured, leading to the team maintaining a losing record the entire season.
“Obviously, we’ve had a couple of our key players get hurt,” Smith said. “But I feel like I still have faith in the rest of our team. If we can just get everybody to come to one accord, lock in, focus on the game plan that Patino has, I think we can do something.”
Smith is still looking at college recruitment, specifically Junior College basketball.
“I feel like I’ve definitely gotten better more at White Station than I was at Collierville,” Smith said. “So I feel like that switch was definitely worth it.”