WELLINGTON – Patrick Tobin had a pair of college scholarships on the table.
The No. 1-ranked long snapper in and No. 4-ranked specialist in Palm Beach County received those official offers from Keiser and St. Thomas. It came down to one word: familiarity.
Tobin chose Keiser over St. Thomas because he wanted to stay close to home. It was a decision based on how well he would fit in with a college.
This turned out to be an easy pick for the Wellington outgoing senior, who signed his letter of intent to Keiser on National Signing Day (Wednesday, Feb. 5).
“They win games,” Tobin said of Keiser, which finished last season with a 9-1 overall record and as the No. 9-ranked team in NAIA. “It’s something that was important to me when I made my decision, joining a team and staff that knows how to win and has done it before.”
Tobin delved further into his decision to go with Keiser.
“I also felt wanted there,” Tobin said. “They told me when I first met with the entire staff that I was a top priority for them, and that was something I needed when it came down to decision time. I also know many players at Keiser right now that I played with at Wellington, and one of those players is Logan Robinson, who was one of the biggest influencers in leading me to Keiser.”
Beginning next season, Wellington will have at least three players at Keiser: Tobin, Robinson (starting kicker), and Sage Chen-Young (starting defensive back). It will be a nice reunion for this collective, with more memories to share with each other.
With that said, Tobin’s final season at Wellington turned out to be a learning experience. The Wolverines finished last year with a 3-7 record.
Tobin recorded four tackles on punt coverage. He also had perfect snaps on Wellington’s punts and field goals as a senior.
“I think that we all learned a lot from this season,” the 5-foot-11, 175-pound long snapper said. “Obviously we had some good moments and bad moments, and a lot more of the bad than the good. But I think that it taught the seniors and the young guys that life isn’t always going to be perfect and the way you want it. Humans go through struggles in life and we are all going to lose at things in life. I think this past season taught us that when it gets rough and you want it to end, you have to power through and keep working. That will apply when we all grow up and have our own families. In those moments, we need to support them.”
NOTE: The Blue-Grey All-American and FACA North-South All-Star earned a 4.5 rating as the state’s No. 1-ranked and the nation’s No. 16-ranked long snapper. His ranks came from Kohl’s Kicking.
PHOTO CREDITS: Gene Nardi
