Ja’Tarya Hoskins, newest member of the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)
The chain stays strong.
The Hoskins family has been one of the best to come through Coupeville in recent years, with each kid a standout athlete, student, and human being.
Each link in that chain — Will, Jai’Lysa, Ja’Tarya, and Ja’Kenya — can stand on their own, but they remain stronger because they link together, with family and friends.
Today I want to single one out, and that would be Ja’Tarya, now a freshman at Saint Martin’s University.
She’s off on the first step of earning a law degree, and, if COVID cooperates, she’ll be competing as a track and field athlete for the school.
If not, rest assured Ja’Tarya will find a million other ways to impress all who meet her.
During her time in Coupeville, she was at the heart of great success, most notably (at least for us here at a sports blog) for her stellar work as a multi-sport athlete.
Ja’Tarya was front and center for the Wolf cheer squad, a key member of a group which brought CHS back to the world of competitive competition.
Celebrating Senior Night with mom Benita and lil’ sis Ja’Kenya.
There had been a six-year drought since Coupeville athletes stepped on to the blue competition mats, but they found success almost instantly when they returned in 2018.
That was Ja’Tarya’s junior season at CHS, and she and her close-knit pack of teammates went from zero to 3rd place at state in what seemed like the blink of an eye.
Of course, to get there, the Wolves put in countless grueling hours of work behind the scenes. Then made it look flawless.
A year later, Ja’Tarya capped her run as a Coupeville cheerleader as the Wolves qualified for nationals in their second year back in the sport.
All of her success as a cheerleader was just a small part of her portfolio, however.
Hoskins launches a javelin into the stratosphere. (Brian Vick photo)
In the world of track and field, Ja’Tarya competed in almost every event on the list.
Her biggest moment in the spotlight came in the 4 x 100, where she teamed with Mallory Kortuem, Maya Toomey-Stout, and Lindsey Roberts to place 5th at state during her junior season.
The quartet hit the tape in 50.54 seconds, and they currently sit on the big board in the CHS gym as school record-holders.
Left to right are Maya Toomey-Stout, Hoskins, Mallory Kortuem, and Lindsey Roberts. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)
Confident, assured, friendly, intelligent, kind, and strong – they all describe Ja’Tarya, who collected a long line of fans during her time as a Wolf.
For her achievements, yes, but also for the quality of her soul.
Check back in five years, ten years, or whenever, and I fully expect Ja’Tarya will have achieved great success in whatever she attempts.
When that happens, everyone here in Coupeville will be like, “Hey, we knew her when! And we told you she was gonna kill it!”
But, before she gets too famous for us, too accomplished, we can give her a little local honor while it still might mean something.
Today we induct Ja’Tarya into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame, where she joins big sis Jai’Lysa, forever immortalized in our digital shrine for being the supernova she is, every day, in every way.
After this, if you stroll past the Legends tab at the top of the blog, that’s where you’ll find her hanging out.
Digitally, at least.
Out there in the real world, Ja’Tarya will be soaring to new successes, making new fans who will be as impressed with her as we are back here in Cow Town.
A bright, shining superstar lighting up the night sky.
Just the way it should be.
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