Zach Pina

Men's Basketball

A Second Sport Love

Leading up to opening night of the 2020-21 Georgia State men's basketball season, each member of the roster will be featured on a different day with a story, video, and social media elements. We continue the series today with Zach Pina who enters his sophomore season on the court with the Panthers.

There are a lot of two-sport stars out there. Over the years, we have seen individuals like Bo Jackson or Deion Sanders play football and baseball. Plenty of others may have a primary sport and then run track. However, let us tell you about maybe the one and only two-sport star playing basketball and hockey. Yes, you heard that correct – ice hockey.

That two-sport combo is the case for sophomore Zach Pina, and it is possible to say that hockey might have been his first love and maybe still is.

"I started playing hockey around the age of seven," Pina said. "I played all the way until I was 16 or 17 years old. I played in a bunch of tournaments, even some on the national level. Sometimes I think about whether I should have stuck with hockey, but it worked out pretty well as I love basketball as well."

So how does one even go down the path of playing ice hockey when living in the south. It was honestly a funny exchange between Zach and his father, a person he called highly influential in his life, that got it started.

"I played so many sports growing up," Pina said. "I remember one day where I was playing baseball, and I really hated baseball – it was just so slow – and I looked at my dad and said 'I think I want to try hockey.' He laughed and told me 'You are black, what are you talking about' but then quickly took back what he said and told me it really wasn't common down here. I wanted to get some roller blades and try it as ice wasn't extremely popular from where I am from. I started playing roller hockey and picked it up quick and it led me to ice hockey."

It may be true that there are not a ton of ice hockey players in the south, and unfortunately even fewer African-Americans playing the sport, but it never detracted from his love of the game. Some of the biggest thrills for him to this day have even come via hockey, like skating out on to the ice with the Atlanta Thrashers when he was 12 years old for the national anthem.

"I don't know if I ever really figured out that basketball was the sport for me," Pina said. "I always loved hockey. It was the main sport I grew up playing. In high school I played both hockey and basketball. However, as a freshman at Georgia State, I heard the men's basketball program was getting a new coaching staff following my first year and that was when I really dedicated my life to basketball and training. I would say after my freshman year of college was when I realized that basketball was really the sport for me."

So, the next time you hear of an individual staring in two sports, just think of the uniqueness of Zach Pina who has excelled as arguably the most unique two-star athlete out there. The future is bright for this finance major whether in the classroom, on the court, or maybe even back in the rink someday.
 
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Players Mentioned

Zach Pina

#31 Zach Pina

G
5' 11"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Zach Pina

#31 Zach Pina

5' 11"
Sophomore
G