McKinley Hoffmann
First runner-up female Scholar-Athlete
McKinley Hoffmann
Olentangy Berlin
Grade-point avg.: 4.29
$0 (full-ride scholarship)
Sports played: Soccer (4 years), basketball (4)
Academic highlights: National Merit Commended Scholar; National Honor Society member; scored 36 on ACT
Athletic highlights: First-team all-district and all-league in soccer
College choice: Alabama (anticipated major: chemical engineering)
Photo location: Sticky Fingers Ice Cream Parlor is a local shop near where I live where I spend too much money (I spend too much money on ice cream in general).
Home front: My wonderful parents are Jim and Deanna Hoffmann, and I have three siblings: My sister, Emily, is 23, brother Collin is 22, and brother Lukas is 16.
Favorite subject: Math has always been my best and favorite subject. Numbers have always made the most sense in my head, and I love the fact that there is always a right answer.
Least-favorite subject: Though I love to read, English has always been the most difficult for me. Being able to write eloquently is a skill that has always eluded me (I also love to overuse commas), and I would much rather read books for enjoyment than a literary analysis.
Prized possession: Every time I visit somewhere new, I buy a deck of cards as a memento. This collection reminds me not only of my adventures, but also of my family’s favorite pastime. There are memories tied to each deck that makes me value this collection.
Favorite book: Asking me to choose a favorite book is like asking a mother to choose a favorite child. I have read too many amazing books and series to choose just one. One thing I can say, though, is that my favorite genres are fantasy and dystopian.
Favorite movie: My family’s favorite movie series to watch and discuss is the Marvel movies, so my all-time favorite would have to be the original “Avengers.” It is one that never fails to make me laugh, and it reminds me of all my family’s Redbox movie nights that we’ve had over the years.
Favorite television show: I love “That ’70s Show” on Netflix. I do not watch TV much, since I prefer to read, but this show is my go-to when I need some simple, hilarious humor.
Favorite musicians: My favorite type of music is country because I love that the songs tell stories. They can be sad, warm, funny or even serious. If I had to choose some favorite artists, they would be Old Dominion, Thomas Rhett, Luke Combs and Kenny Chesney.
Essential app: Probably Tumblr. I am not a blogger or anything, but I love to bake and cook. Tumblr is the app I get all my inspiration from.
Favorite home-cooked meal: I absolutely love ribs. My parents tag-team this meal: mom makes sure the ribs are dressed and cooked, then my dad finishes them on the grill.
My cooking specialty: I specialize in side dishes. Typically for dinner my mom or dad handles the meat while I roast vegetables, potatoes or make sure we do not burn the rolls. My true talent, though, is for baking. No one can pass up my blondies, and holidays always mean homemade cranberry-cherry pie.
Favorite restaurant meal: If a restaurant has gyros on their menu, that will be my first choice. Any Mediterranean-style food is my true weakness.
Guilty pleasure: I have a huge sweet tooth so my guilty pleasure is dessert. Only problem is that my dessert is not an occasional thing, but more like a nightly routine.
Proudest sports moment: My last soccer game ever, against New Albany during the tournament this past fall, most likely was the best game I have ever played. Even though we lost that game on a penalty kick, I was not disappointed when I left that field. I played my heart out and was proud of all my saves that night.
Sport I’d like to try someday: I would love to try volleyball. I love playing it with friends, on the beach, at the park, in a pool, and even with a beach ball. Playing in a true competitive league would be fun.
Story behind my uniform number: For high school my number was 1 (since that was the only jersey available for goalkeepers) but my true number is 55. I was assigned it randomly during my first and only year of travel softball. Though I decided that hot, sandy fields and uniforms with long pants were not for me, the nickname “double-nickels” had stuck.
Favorite athlete: Since I do not watch TV, I do not follow any major sports teams. I typically spent my time growing up at my siblings’ baseball, soccer, and softball games. Therefore — considering that their teams are the only true teams that I have followed throughout my life — my three siblings are my favorite athletes to watch and support.
Inspiration: My older brother, Collin, has been my inspiration since I was little. He was always the best at sports and the most athletic in our family, so when I decided to follow in his footsteps and become a goalie, my goal was to become as good as him. I loved watching him play, and loved getting to train with him even more, because those were the practices that pushed me to my limits.
Dream job: Probably owning my own bakery and café where I can spend my time experimenting with recipes and sharing my treats. I am happiest when I get to serve other people and make their day a little sweeter.
Place I’d like to travel: My next bucket-list vacation would have to be Germany and Austria. I have spent the past five years learning German in school and would like to put my knowledge to use.
Something most people don’t know about me: I did not get my ears pierced until I was 18 years old (literally a few weeks ago).
Least-favorite household chore: I hate vacuuming. Loud noises have always stressed me out, and the vacuum is no exception. I would rather do anything else in the house than that.
Something I can’t get right no matter how hard I try: I am terrible at parking and hate having to do in crowded lots. If possible, I will park as far away from other cars as I can and will pull through if available.
Words to leave by: I’m going with the words I have lived by these past few months: “I never look back, darling, it distracts from the now.” — Edna Mode, from “The Incredibles”
By Ray Stein
rstein@dispatch.com