MARSHFIELD -- On Wednesday afternoon, in the commons of Marshfield High School, senior Brooks Hinson thanked his parents and brothers for instilling hard work and humility into his character as he signed his national letter of intent to hoop for Northern Michigan University.
"A lot of work, a lot of early morning and late night workouts," Hinson said about his path to college. "All the guys, we're here before school. We're here after school. There were many times that my brothers have been up late rebounding for me, and to have this happen ... It's awesome."
In both his junior and sophomore seasons, Hinson was named First-team all-Wisconsin Valley Conference. Last season, he averaged 16.8 points, four rebounds, and three assists en route to a 25-3 record and the WVC league crown.
Since earning a more significant role in his sophomore season, he has been a reliable source of offense. He will enter his senior campaign already holding 1100 career points as a Tiger.
Last season, Hinson scorched Brookfield Central, shooting 8-of-10 from 3-point land and scoring his season-high of 34 points to snatch an 88-80 win in front of the Tigers home crowd.
While Hinson also received an offer from Winona State, he is excited to begin his journey as a Wildcat. He said he is relieved that the deciding part is finally over. Now, his only focus is equating his effort to wins for the Tigers in his senior season and for the Wildcats when he arrives on campus as a freshman.
"I hate losing; I'm a big competitor," Hinson said. "I'll do whatever it takes to win, no matter my stats or what the game score looks like. If we win, a win is a win."
His football coach, Dennis Goettl, echoed those sentiments about his work ethic and character. As a family friend, he's known Hinson since middle school and likened him to an "ultra competitor" who naturally impacts winning and losing.
He said he was just thankful that Hinson joined the football team because his athleticism helped the squad out "in every aspect."
After Hinson joined the team, he quickly realized that he and the rest of the Tigers coaching staff "didn't have enough positions to put him in."
"You can see how special he is, just his movement and his natural athletic ability in any other sports that he played," Goettl said. "Not just on the basketball court; he transferred it over to the football field and everything else he has done."
While Hinson looks forward to adding his sharpshooting to Northern Michigan's offensive scheme, he looks forward to how he will grow as a person over the next few years. He desires to contribute to wins and leave a positive imprint on the legacy of Northern Michigan basketball, but to do so, he feels he needs to be the best person off the floor that he can be first.
"Overall, I just want to be a good person and a good leader for Northern Michigan," Hinson said. "I want to leave a legacy at Northern Michigan by being the best player I can be. I want to be a part of the best teams they've ever had. I want to win conferences, but not just the conference; national championships."