CHELSEA BARON
Special to The Leader
2,000 may not be a high score in a video game, but it is in basketball.
Jenna Einink has celebrated reaching 1,000 points in both her high school and college careers.
Ken Ricker, Einink’s basketball coach from the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), was by her side for both.
“[I] was lucky enough to be there for 1,000 high school points and today again for 1,000 college points. Congrats to one of the best players I have been privileged to coach. So happy for and proud of you, Jenna Einink,” said Ricker on a Facebook post.
Ricker and Einink have known each other since she was in eighth grade when her parents brought her to try out for the team.
Unfortunately, Einink couldn’t make it work until the following year.
“The next year she joined what may be the highest scoring and most accomplished AAU team in Western New York history. She was one of 10 1,000-point scorers on our team,” said Ricker.
Einink’s family is no stranger to sports. Her parents, aunts, uncles, as well as her sisters all played basketball.
“My dad, he was really good. He had broken his pinky and didn’t end up getting his 1,000 points, but he was really, really close,” said Einink.
Officially starting basketball in elementary school where she played in a recreational league, Einink never thought she would play in college.
“[Playing in college] was always a goal of mine. It’s been an amazing experience,” said Einink.
Einink’s career at Chautauqua Lake Central School is quite impressive, considering the two trips she made to the New York State championships.
In 2014, the Thunderbirds received their first ever New York State Championship win, 47-36 victory over Hoosic Valley.
“It’s probably one of the best feelings I ever had and something I’ll never forget,” says Einink about her State Championship win.
The following year they returned, ranked as No. 1 in class C girls basketball, only to fall to Cooperstown, 50-59 in the New York State semi-finals.
Linda MacDonald, the State University of New York at Fredonia women’s basketball coach for the past five years, noticed Einink’s talent as a high school player.
“In high school, she was pretty much unstoppable,” said MacDonald.
Coach MacDonald also mentioned a handful of Einink’s assets that made her want to recruit her, such as her rebounding, versatility and speed.
“She was extremely effective inside in the post where she plays. She had versatility in her game in that she can step out to three point range and hit [a] three point shot,” said MacDonald, “I like the way she ran the floor and a lot of times was the first one down in transition, so she was willing to work and get down the floor to get the easy baskets for us.”
Einink has both talent and work ethic.
“Junior year and she’s scored 1,000 points so that kind of speaks for the fact that she’s working hard,” said MacDonald.
MacDonald is not the only one who noticed Einink’s work ethic. Ricker did as well.
He believes Einink’s success stems from her hard work.
“Immediately we knew as a staff that Jenna would be really good. She was a sponge and worked very hard,” said Ricker.
Not only did Einink work hard for herself, Ricker mentioned she was always willing to help out other teammates if they happened to miss a practice.
This past year, Einink stepped into similar footsteps when she was named captain alongside two other teammates.
As a team captain, some of the things she was in charge of were the preseason workouts, relaying messages to the team, making sure everyone is on time to practice and wearing the correct apparel.
“Our coach looks to us when things go wrong,” said Einink.
Out of her family, Einink took basketball more seriously than other sports. She even quit playing softball so she could devote more time to basketball.
“I think [my sisters] had loved other sports the same, and I just fell in love with basketball more than I did volleyball or anything else,” said Einink.
Anyone that paid attention to Einink during her high school years still sees her name in the papers, considering Fredonia is only a short drive from her alma mater.
Einink mentioned when she goes to eat with her teammates, she often comes across local referees or townspeople referencing her appearance in the paper.
“I go places all the time with people and someone says something like ‘Oh, you’re Jenna Einink?’ and they’re like ‘How does everyone know you?’ and it’s different because I grew up around here,” she said.
That’s one way her basketball career is different now.
The game in college is faster paced, the players are stronger and in better shape and you travel, which includes missing school.
“The basics are the same, but the expectations are so much higher,” said Einink.
Even though Einink misses classes due to traveling during the season, she is still expected to get her work done. There is specific study time for the team to work on homework when they’re on the bus.
All student-athletes are required to give their professors a sheet listing dates that they will be absent from class.
“You just have to be on top of things and very prepared, and you have to communicate with your professors. The professors are really cool about it if you let them know ahead of time,” said Einink.
Einink did not know she was close to her 1,000 points until she read an article. Everyone else knew.
During the Blue Devils game against Buffalo State on Feb. 17, Einink scored her 1,000th college basketball career point.
The Devils lost that day, 74-60.
Einink is the 12th Blue Devil overall to score 1,000 points, trailing behind her fellow teammate Jacque Law, who is a senior this year.
MacDonald mentioned scoring 1,000 points as a junior takes a special type of player.
“Most of Jenna’s points are inside the arc, which makes her accomplishment a little bit more incredible because the majority of her shots are either from the foul line, which is one point, or inside the arc which is two points,” said MacDonald.
During MacDonald’s years of coaching at Fredonia, only five athletes have hit the 1,000 point mark, and two of them were juniors.
“Everyone knew except me. I just wasn’t even thinking that I was close at all,” said Einink.
Scoring isn’t something that’s on Einink’s mind.
“I just play . . . I just play I guess, I don’t know. I don’t really think about my points or my stats as much as I just want us to win,” she said.
Ricker mentioned how special it was for him to attend both milestones.
Einink scored her high school 1,000th point during a tournament at Jamestown High School, where Ricker teaches.
With permission from Eric Shuster, Chautauqua Lake women’s basketball coach, Ricker was able to award Einink her 1,000 point ball.
Luck was on Ricker’s side when he was also able to attend the game that Einink hit 1,000 again.
“It was really special because like in high school, we want our AAU kids to find a great college fit and have success, and Jenna has clearly done both,” he said.
“I would not ever trade playing basketball here for anything,” said Einink.