How does being an ex-cheerleader improve your basketball career? For one thing, it keeps you positive.
Guard Trenell Smith, psychology freshman, is transforming the biggest challenge of her career into an opportunity to regroup and re-focus. Loyola’s pre-conference games against top-seed schools such as LSU, No. 10 in the NCAA, and Cumberland, No. 7 in the NAIA, were almost guaranteed heartbreaks, but the self-proclaimed optimist thinks she can take the team to nationals.
“We’re tired of losing,” Smith said. “We just stay focused and pull together as a team.” Regardless of their rough beginning, Smith has positioned herself to be Loyola’s lead scorer.
She plugged all-SEC center Sylvia Fowles and the Lady Tigers for 22 points, a feat worthy of individual attention.
Smith, however, drips with modesty.
“There’s no pressure. It’s a big challenge, but we’re working hard at practice”, Smith said. “The losses have only boosted our confidence.”
Lucky for Loyola, Smith has a practically identical twin, Tranese, whom she takes turns with leading the Wolfpack’s offense.
“In middle school, we used to go the bathroom and switch clothes. Then sometimes we switched classes; they didn’t know the difference,” Trenell said.
If Smith has a way of boosting team spirit, it’s no coincidence.
“I was a cheerleader my freshman year of high school. I just wanted to see what it was like; I never thought I’d make it.”
Smith, reserved and respectful in regards to her ability, credits her success to the unyielding support of her family ever since she started basketball at age 6. “They were always there; they encouraged me to do it.”
However, no one is immune to a burnout – her 13-year career inevitably generated stress. “In high school, I got tired of it for a while. I had gotten off track, but I refocused my mind.”
She recovered dramatically – Smith scored 51 points in a district conference game, her proudest achievement so far.
Having the discipline to reevaluate her goals and the strength to pursue them are traits she’s learned from the people closest to her. Smith’s mother and older sister have impressed upon her the value of staying positive.
“My mom, I’ve seen the things she’s gone through physically, mentally and emotionally. But she always has a smile on her face. She’s the strongest person I know.”
Perhaps Smith wasn’t born disciplined, but she’s always had the energy to make her practices at 6:30 a.m.
“I was kind of hyper as a kid. I was pretty crazy,” she said.
Now that she’s reached college, her style is very controlled and work-oriented.
“She’s one of the fastest guards we have”, said new point guard Atoyia Scott, music performance freshman. “She’s respectful and a hard worker.”
But Smith isn’t all work and no fun.
You just have to get on her good side.
“People say I’m quiet, but that’s because I haven’t been around them. I think I’m pretty goofy; I like to make people laugh.”
Her teammates appreciate her outgoing demeanor. “She’s always funny, really funny”, Scott said.
The past few games against top seeds haven’t been easy, but Smith continues to set her goals high.
“I can’t wait for the end of the season, when we can play those teams again. I think we can beat them,” she said.
It may feel like an awkward position to start the season out with such high expectations. Smith will undoubtedly play an integral role in the team’s success, but rather than fall prey to some all-star neurosis, she stays above the hype and uses each experience as a means to improve.
“Those last games were a great opportunity to see what we needed to improve on; it gave us something to work on in practice and made us better.”
If there was ever a more graceful loser, speak now or forever hold your stats.
Nicole Mundy can be reached at [email protected].
Trenell Smith pushes the ball up court against teammate Katie Hernandez. Smith, established as a star scorer, stays humble. (John Sequiera)
