MADISON- Since joining the James Clemens lacrosse club team as a sophomore, Trinity Verkest used her natural athletic ability to sharpen her skills to near perfection and has become the leading attacker for the Lady Jets. Her achievement of growing into an elite player came full-circle recently as she signed an athletic scholarship to play lacrosse at Birmingham-Southern.

Her signing with the Panthers came after having nine offers all together from colleges and universities as she will take her 3.6 grade point average to the college where she plans on pursuing a degree in English.

“I played softball since fifth grade and switched over to lacrosse as a sophomore after I tried out for, but did not make the James Clemens softball team,” said Verkest, daughter of Adam and Nastasha Verkest. “I didn’t want to be knocked down by that experience so I tried lacrosse for the first time and loved it.”

The 18-year old always wanted to play lacrosse after watching the sport on television, but had the same season as softball, so her attempts to try the sport were always squelched. “I love the energy of the sport and the team concept as we’re like a family,” said Verkest who has a younger brother on the James Clemens’ bowling team.

The James Clemens senior became a full-time lacrosse player after dropping softball and her duties as a saxophone player for the school marching and concert bands. As a hobby, she is also a writer of poems. She has approximately 170 poems to her credit and looks to her degree in English to help her move into a possible career as a writer of poems.

Her extended play in lacrosse gave her an opportunity to participate in the special Maryland Showcase last summer. At the event, Verkest was heavily scouted for her defensive skills and last November was selected to play for team USA as part of national team scheduled to play in France and England this upcoming summer. She will be unable to attend due not being able to raise the necessary funds in time for the team commitment. Just knowing she has the talent to compete at an elite level has paid dividends with her confidence.

As a lacrosse player, Verkest has suffered the usual injuries of sprained ankles, bruises and shin splints. None of those are equal to her being on kidney dialysis her first three years of her life as she was born with one of her two kidneys smaller than normal. The condition causes her to tire easily and she must stay hydrated.

Throughout all of her quests to be the best at everything she has attempted, Verkest said there is one person who has inspired her the most. “My mother. She finds a way to overcome anything. She makes worst things the best things,” said Verkest.