For Roxie Reed Trovato, collecting hardware from the Fannin County Sports Hall of Fame has become almost a habit. Roxie already has two medallions that she earned by being a member of teams inducted into the Hall. First, she collected a medal along with her teammates on the 1998-1999 Fannin County High School girls basketball team. Then, last year she collected another medallion as a member of the 1996-1997 Lady Rebels. To complete the hat trick, Roxie has been elected as an individual member of the induction class of 2019. She will collect a plaque celebrating her membership at the FCSHOF induction on April 6, 2019.
The 1990s were halcyon days for the Fannin County High School Lady Rebels basketball teams. The 1992-1993 young ladies captures the Georgia State Class AA State Championship. As a follow-up, the four year period of competition from 1995 through 1999 saw the Lady Rebels post an impressive overall record of 103 victories and only nine defeats. During that period, the Fannin girls finished as state runners-up in 1997 and captured the Class AA State Championship in 1998-99. These teams performed like a talented symphony with all the necessary instruments and directing the teams from the point guard position was the gifted maestro, Roxie Reed Trovato.
On the basketball court, Roxie was the consummate defender and leader of the offense. She controlled the tempo and was a master of the no-look and behind the back passes. Her stylish play was not for show, however, as her passing skills resulted in many easy baskets for her teammates. She was the recipient of the team Playmaker Award as a sophomore and as a junior and, at the end of her senior season, she was honored as the All-Time career assist leader at Fannin County High School. During the State Championship season of 1998-99 she averaged more than 10 assists per game. She was selected as the Northwest Georgia Tip-Off Club Player of the month in February, 1999.
Roxie performed at her best under pressure and, in the 1999 State semi-final game against Dodge County she scored 13 points, dished out nine assists and, according to the News Observer ‘ran the offense flawlessly’. Her coach Johnny Farmer gushed “that’s the best I’ve seen her play in four years. It seemed like she ran faster than she ever had, hit her free throws and was determined not to give the ball up”.
In the lexicon of sport Roxie Reed Trovato epitomized the term ‘gamer’. She relished competition and had the ability to convert her passion into success in the arena or on the field. She started at shortstop for the Lady Rebels all four years that she competed. She was a leader on the field, timely hitter and outstanding fielder helping Fannin County High advance to the State Tournament three times during her career.
If her basketball and softball exploits were not enough, Roxie made the Fannin High tennis team as a freshman and was soon elevated to the Number One singles slot. She maintained that position throughout the three years that she competed and posted a 7-1 record in singles competition as a senior in 1999.
After graduating from high school in 1999, Roxie was awarded a basketball scholarship to attend Truett-McConnell College in Cleveland, Georgia. She was the starting point guard there for two seasons and was named as the team Best Offensive Player following her second year. She also participated in all intra-mural sports available to her. Her athleticism was noted by the soccer team coach who recruited her to play with his team during her sophomore year. She was good enough to earn a partial scholarship for this participation.
Roxie continued her basketball career at Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina. She played there for two seasons and, before completing her requirements for graduation, was invited to a WNBA combine in Orlando, Florida. She graded high enough there to be offered an opportunity to play with a WNBA satellite team overseas. She considered this possibility but decided to remain stateside and complete her college degree program.
She returned to Limestone and discovered that she had some athletic eligibility remaining. She was awarded a golf scholarship and graduated from Limestone with a degree in physical education/health science in 2003.
Roxie briefly considered entering the coaching profession but opted to begin raising a family. She married John Trovato and soon was the mother of two children, a son Chandler (who is now 10) and a daughter Riley (now 8). She and her family make their home in Cleveland, Tennessee where Roxie stays busy raising and supporting the education and activities of her two children.
In case you have not been keeping score at home, Roxie Reed Trovato competed in five (5) different sports during her high school and college days – basketball, softball, tennis, soccer and golf. She also played football for a youth team in early grade school, so if one includes that sport, Roxie participated in six sports between the ages of 8 and 21. She is truly a remarkable athlete and a 5-star recruit for the Fannin County Sports Hall of Fame.
