Proverbs 16:3 says, &uot;Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established.&uot; Good advice – even if your plans include an MPSA Class A state title.

&uot;Our focus is to use our talents and abilities to the best of our abilities for Him,&uot; said Trinity Lady Saints head coach Melanie Hall, whose girls varsity basketball team is currently 15-2 and undefeated in district play. &uot;If we continue to do that, the rest will take care of itself.&uot;

Hall knows exactly what it will take for Trinity to win a championship. She did it herself in 1978 as a Lady Saint player, and was a state runner-up as a senior in 1980.

&uot;Everything has to fall just right,&uot; Hall said. &uot;Especially in single A. I think there are over 50 teams in single A. Everybody has to click on all areas.&uot;

Despite the obvious difficulty involved in taking it all, Hall sees the necessary ingredients in her current squad.

&uot;The big thing is heart,&uot; she said. &uot;We have a very talented group with a lot of ability, but I’ve been blessed with a group of girls who really care about each other. Unity is important.&uot;

This is Hall’s second stint as a Trinity coach. She took the helm of the Lady Saints from 1985-1989 before returning to her alma mater again last year.

&uot;I thank God for the opportunity,&uot; she said. &uot;In the Word, it says He gives us the desires of our heart, and I really think this is my calling at this time.&uot;

Hall said she is thankful for the opportunity to minister to her players in an environment such as Trinity.

&uot;I feel like I’m getting to share what I’ve been given,&uot; she said. &uot;I’m able to give something back.&uot;

It is sometimes difficult to find a happy medium between her roles as coach, mentor, counsel and friend, Hall said, but it also provides a tremendous opportunity to connect with her young charges.

&uot;It’s a lot more than just x’s and o’s,&uot; she said.

The Lady Saints play in the Sharkey Academy Tournament in Brookhaven after Christmas before diving head-first into a five-game district stretch.

And while that elusive state title is on everyone’s mind, &uot;We’re trying to stay focused on our short-term goals.

&uot;Take one day at a time and learn from every experience,&uot; Hall said. &uot;Take every day as an opportunity to get better.&uot;