By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

It was a busy summer for Jenna Canale.

And she has the list to prove it.

   • 10,000 shots attempted.

   • 5,000 shots made.

   • 1,000 minutes of ball-handling.

She was on a mission.

And held herself accountable to get there.

Yes, she had already been awarded all-league and all-district honors, but that was not the finish line she wanted to be satisfied with.

She wanted to push herself further.

Not just for herself, but for her team.

To get there, she knew it was not time to get comfortable.

Instead, she got to work.

Even on the days when she felt more like finding a couch to rest on after also training for the fall cross country season, Canale was in her driveway working.

“I made it a personal goal to accomplish the number that coach (Ashley) Callihan set for us in all three categories,” Canale said. “Getting the work in made me accountable to go out and do it. To go out there to get better.

“I had a goal for this year, where I wanted to be and where I wanted our team to be, and I knew that was not going to happen overnight on its own,” Canale added. “You have to put in the time and once you start to see the results, you want to keep doing it.”

There have been plenty of results, too, with Canale averaging 13.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game this season. She is also among the county and league leaders in field goals made (73) and free throws made (32). For her career, Canale has now scored more than 700 career points.

Her steady hard work is an approach that head coach Ashley Callihan has respectfully watched  since Canale entered the program as a freshman.

“Jenna has a love and passion for the game that motivates her to improve each season,” Callihan said. “Her versatility is an important part of our offense because it makes a difficult match-up for opponents.”

It has elevated Canale from the effective post player she was as a freshman into the multi-dimensional player she is now as a junior.

A player who can do it all on the court.

And now she is a player who also believes that she can do it all on the court.

Canale’s confidence may have been one of the final characteristics for her to embrace, but it shines now and she is comfortable on the court in all situations and also as a team leader.

“I have really enjoyed watching her confidence grow since her freshman season,” Callihan said.

Canale agreed and said that she has felt the difference on the court.

“When I was a freshman, I was trying to figure out how things worked or what the team dynamics were,” Canale said. “I never wanted to make anyone mad. I was probably overthinking it, but I didn’t want to shoot too much or feel like I was dominant on the ball. Looking back now, I know I was shooting the shots I should have shot, but I needed to gain that confidence for that.”

Canale’s maturity growth is yet another aspect that has caught the attention of her coach.

“Something that has always impressed me is Jenna’s ability to keep her composure on and off the court,” Callihan said. “She is consistent in practice and games, which has been a key for this young team. The same goes for her hard work in the classroom.”