Fox Lane's Trawick Shines This Season

Junior forward Will Trawick had an outstanding year for the Fox Lane boys basketball squad this winter—he was named all-conference for a team that went 11-8 and qualified for the Section 1 Class AA tournament.

His honor of all-conference was well-deserved as he led the team in points (13.2) and rebounds (10.8) per game.

Trawick said it was a mix of a couple of things that led to his success this winter.

“I played football so I didn’t get as much as I wanted to in the fall but after practice I would work out, shoot around, do drills and that helped,” Trawick said. “Also, our coach (Chris Violante) centered the offense around the low-post and that’s where I got the ball as well as Matt Swensen.”

Trawick said another factor that has been a key to his success is the rapport that he has developed with his teammates through the years. The Fox Lane forward says that he's played with the guys in his junior class since he was five-years-old; he's been with the seniors on the team since the seventh grade.

Violante said Trawick’s attitude had a positive effect on those teammates he has known for so long.

“He’s a great role model—that’s probably his greatest attribute when it came to the team because of how he worked every single day in practice,” Violante said. “He just came and just worked, 100-percent effort every single day. Other kids saw him work hard, so they worked hard.”

Trawick is playing AAU ball this spring, a necessary step, said Trawick. The player who plays multiple seasons of a sport has an advantage. "If you haven’t touched a ball since your last game in February, you are just totally behind everybody because they are getting better and you’re not," he said.

Playing basketball in the offseason can be a juggling act since he also plays football. Trawick plays various positions on the gridiron for the Foxes but but mainly tight end and defensive end.

“It’s difficult doing two sports,” Trawick said. “I’m blessed with a lot of natural athleticism but then it’s also hard work and good coaching staff and good teammates in each sport that help out a lot.”

Trawick said that he sees good things for himself and his teammates next year.

“We had a senior-ridden class this past year and we also had six juniors on the team,” Trawick said. “Every junior I know could’ve started this past season because everyone on our all team was just so good. We are all pretty equal. I don’t see any trouble as far as losing four of our starters. I think we can even be better next year.”

Violante is also excited about the 2011-12 season, with this year’s talented junior class, led by Trawick, heading into their senior year.

“We’re going to have a special year,” Violante said. “Next year the sky is the limit, expectations are high. This year we came out of nowhere. Nobody knew who Will Trawick was at the beginning of the year. Next year everybody is going to be focusing on him right from the start.”