When the girls head basketball coach position at Lake Travis High School opened two years ago, Patrick Hinson didn’t apply. But when the job opened again this spring, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
“I didn’t want to just jump at anything,” Hinson said. “We knew we wanted to stay in the area and I was helping a great team at Pflugerville. But when it opened again, I couldn’t not try my hand at it.”
The decision paid off and after seven years as an assistant at Pflugerville – which went to the Class 5A state tournament last season – Hinson is running his own program at Lake Travis.
We caught up with the new coach earlier this week and learned what he likes about Lake Travis, on and off the court.
What’s it been like taking over as head coach at Lake Travis?
The support has been unbelievable and the community has been there every step of the way. The girls work very hard and want to be coached. Coming in as a new coach you don’t always know how well you’ll be welcomed. But I have six seniors and some talented younger kids, it’s been real fun and leadership (with those seniors) has made it easier.
You said you were looking for the right job, what made Lake Travis that destination?
Even more than just the girls’ basketball team, but it’s the athletic program. Their expectation here is to win. Originally I thought I wanted to open up a new school, but when the Lake Travis job opened up I couldn’t pass it up. I thought there was an opportunity for me to put a stamp on the program. Also, the facilities and support the program has is amazing.
How would you describe yourself as a coach?
I’m a detail-oriented coach. I’m a big film-watching guy and I love preparation. My girls are going to work hard, they’re going to play defense and pay attention to the little things. On offense, I like to think of myself as pretty organized and I’m a big program guy. I want to build the team from the youth programs and Lake Travis Youth Association to the varsity team.
You worked under a great coach in Pflugerville, Nancy Walling, what did you learn from her?
Just how to incorporate everybody. She did a great job of having a great basketball program, not just a team from off the court stuff to community service. Her players were not only great athletes, but great student athletes who represented the program on and off the court.
What about the community enticed your move?
It’s a destination district and you can see why families are wanting to get here. I want my son to be prepared as much for college as possible, and the chance to move him into this district was something I couldn’t turn a blind eye too.
What do you like most about living in the area?
We’re big outdoors people and my son Cade loves to fish, and it’s a great community for that. Really enjoy the hike and bike trails and how nature really is involved. Where we lived in Round Rock had a great park system, but it wasn’t really nature. Here we wake up in the morning and we have a deer in the yard, my son really loves that.
