Contributors, Kerri Kosten, Local Sports, Sports, Trinity Christian

COLUMN: Seth Goins continuing family legacy by playing at Fairmont State

MORGANTOWN — For Seth Goins, it feels like he’s played basketball his entire life.

“I have been playing basketball for as long as I can remember,” he said. “My dad has had a ball in my hand since the day I was born.”

A Morgantown native, Goins is a 2020 graduate of Trinity and now plays for Fairmont State.

This past season, Goins hit the first 3-pointer of his collegiate career against Wheeling.

“The most memorable experience for me this season was definitely when I was scoring my first collegiate points,” he said. “When I hit that 3, my entire team went absolutely crazy on the bench, and it’s a moment I will remember forever. My freshman season has gone really well so far. It’s definitely been an adjustment from high school, and had definitely been a learning year.”

Though his freshman season went smoothly, Goins said COVID-19 has made things challenging.

After transferring to Trinity Christian from Morgantown High, Goins had an outstanding senior season. He averaged 20 points, five assists and two steals. He scored a total of 500 points and earned first-team All-Mason-Dixon and third-team all-state honors.

“It was amazing to have such a good senior season,” Goins said. “I had a lot to prove and a lot of people to prove wrong, so when I was able to do that, it was amazing to have everything I worked for finally happen.”

There were a few reasons he chose to attend Fairmont State.

“I chose Fairmont State because it was so close to home, they have an amazing basketball program and it is my dad’s alma mater,” he said. “I love playing basketball here, and I love how close it is to home.”

Athletics runs in the Goins family. Seth’s father, James Goins Jr., played football at FSU in 1993 and 1994.

“Well at the beginning of last year, I made a personal goal that I would get the opportunity to play college basketball at Fairmont State, so when I got the call from (coach Tim Koenig), I didn’t need any convincing from anyone, and made the decision to go to Fairmont, then and there. I think that obviously my father wanted me to choose Fairmont because I would still be very close to home and be able to see my family all the time, but at the end of the day, my father just wanted me to go wherever I would be happy and where I could grow both on and off the court.”

Goins is studying business, wanting to get into the real estate industry.

Goins was named to the dean’s list for the fall semester.

“It was something I am proud of and something that I strived for when I got here,” he said.

Goins enjoys several things in his spare time.

“In my spare time, I like to get in the gym and work out, I like to hang out with friends, and I like to go home and see my family.”

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