If you’ve spent any time around the gyms in New Hampshire or the North Shore, you’ve probably heard the name. Pat Quinn. No, not the former Illinois governor who famously claimed he could dunk (though that's a wild story for another day). And not the legendary hockey coach.
We’re talking about the Pat Quinn basketball trainer—the guy who has become a bit of a whisper-network legend for players trying to actually make the jump from "decent high school starter" to "college-ready prospect."
Honestly, the basketball training world is usually full of "gurus" shouting on Instagram and selling $500 vertical jump programs that don't work. Pat Quinn is the opposite. He’s the guy in the hoodie who has quietly been the architect behind some of the smoothest jumpshots coming out of the Seacoast for the last two decades.
Why the Seacoast Swears by Pat Quinn Basketball Training
Most trainers focus on "the bag"—the flashy crossovers and step-backs that look great in a 15-second clip but get you benched by a real coach. Quinn’s approach is different. It’s kinda old school, but with a modern tactical edge.
He grew up in the gyms of Rye Junior High and St. Thomas Aquinas. He played at Colby-Sawyer. He’s been a Division III assistant at Plymouth State, moved up to Division II at Adelphi, and eventually hit the Division I level at LIU Brooklyn.
That matters. Why? Because when he’s training a 16-year-old, he isn’t just teaching them how to dribble. He knows exactly what a DI coach is looking for during a recruiting period.
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"Pat is an exceptional teacher of the game... he was in charge of our player development and helped develop some great players that went on to play professionally." — Jim Ferry, Head Coach at UMBC.
The Duncan Robinson Connection
You can't talk about Pat Quinn without mentioning Duncan Robinson. Yeah, the Miami Heat sniper.
Before Robinson was hitting clutch threes in the NBA Finals, he was a lanky kid in New England trying to find his rhythm. Robinson has been vocal about the fact that Quinn didn't just teach him skills; he taught him basketball acumen.
It’s about the "why" behind the move. If you’re training with Quinn, you’re not just doing 500 reps of a drill. You’re learning how to read the defender’s lead foot. You’re learning where the help defense is coming from before you even catch the ball.
The Training Philosophy: It's Not Just Drills
Basically, if you show up to a session expecting a light workout, you’re in for a surprise. Quinn's sessions are built on concrete plans.
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I’ve talked to parents whose kids have gone through his Community Hoops programs. They all say the same thing: he’s intense, but he’s a mentor. He focuses on:
- Shooting Mechanics: Breaking down the shot from the feet up. None of that "flick the wrist" nonsense—it's about kinetic energy.
- Game Situational IQ: Understanding spacing and timing.
- Mental Toughness: He doesn't let kids coast. If you're tired, that's when the form matters most.
One of the most interesting things about his resume is his time at Berwick Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas. He took those programs and turned them into machines. It wasn't because he had the best athletes in the state; it was because his teams were consistently the most technically sound.
Addressing the Confusion: Which Pat Quinn?
Let’s clear the air because Google gets this wrong all the time.
If you search for "Pat Quinn basketball," you’ll find three different guys.
- The Politician: Former Governor of Illinois. Big Bulls fan. Claimed he dunked once in 1968 at Georgetown. (Highly debatable, but a fun bit of lore).
- The Coach's Brother: There’s a Pat Quinn who coached at Fenwick High School for 28 years. Another absolute legend in the Illinois hoops scene.
- The Trainer: Our guy. The New Hampshire native, Community Hoops founder, and the one Duncan Robinson credits for his development.
If you’re looking for skill development in the Northeast, you want the third one. Trust me.
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What it Really Takes to Get Better
Look, basketball training is a crowded market. You have guys charging $150 an hour to put kids through "pro-style" workouts that are actually just fancy cardio.
What makes the Pat Quinn basketball trainer model work is the focus on the "boring" stuff. Footwork. Hand placement on the catch. Defensive lateral quickness.
He’s been doing this since 2008 in the Seacoast area. That kind of longevity doesn't happen unless the results are walking around in college jerseys. Players like Harry Rafferty (who went on to coach at Michigan) and Littell White (Head Coach at Emmanuel College) didn't just learn how to play from him; they learned how to teach.
Actionable Next Steps for Players and Parents
If you’re serious about moving to the next level, stop looking for "hacks." Start looking for a system.
- Evaluate your "Game Speed": Most kids practice at 50% speed. Quinn's whole thing is practicing at 110% so the game feels slow.
- Focus on the Footwork: Watch any clip of a Quinn-trained player. Their feet are always set before the ball hits their hands.
- Find a Mentor, Not just a Trainer: You need someone who knows the recruiting landscape. Whether it's Quinn or someone with a similar DI/DII coaching background, the "coach" perspective is 10x more valuable than the "trainer" perspective.
The reality? Most players have "the bag," but they don't have the foundation. Pat Quinn specializes in building the foundation so the house doesn't fall down when the competition gets tough.
Next Steps for You: Audit your current workout. Are you doing drills you saw on TikTok, or are you working on shots you actually take in a game? If you're in the New England area, look into local clinics that prioritize "basketball acumen" over flashy highlights. It might not make for the best social media post, but it'll actually get you on the court.