Folks –

I found this email I sent everyone last year.  I am sending it to you again because it still makes sense.  Please re-read it below.

If you want your son to play next year he will have to spend time this summer in the gym and in the weight room.  We are just a short year and half from being in High School and in Jason Kleis’s program!

I can tell you this about Coach Kleis…when he selects his players that will get playing time in his Freshman, JV & Varsity programs he looks for players will the following qualities…

o        Great attitude and understands his role on the team…
o        Defensive & Rebounding effort every time down the court
o        Offensive skills…ball handling, passing and shooting
o        Coachable…can he take constructive criticism and instructions
o        Great teammate!

Folks…our boys have a great start to their basketball careers but if they want to take it to the next level they will need to be focused this summer!  Summer is the time when the kids need to be selfish and develop their individual skills.  I can sit down with each of the boys and give them a specific workout to re-enforce their strengths and help them with their weaknesses…just let me know if you’d like me to meet with them. Some times it is hard to hear about what you need to improve on…but the alternative is to continue to struggle with that aspect of their game.  So let’s put a plan together for them…at that point it will be up to them if they want to put in the time.

Achievements this year…

7th grade:
Went undefeated in the Big Sioux conference
Won the Big-Sioux Conference Tournament
Runner-up the DV Tournament
Won the Bucketmakers Tournament
Won the Central Lyon Tournament

6th grade:
Won the Lennox Tourney
Won the NorthSide end of year Tourney!
Won the Central Lyon Tournament
Runner-up the DV Tournament

Folks…I’ll leave you with this thought.  One of the discussions we have with the boys is my “where do I fit in” speech.  I ask the kids to look into the future and to evaluate where they fit in with the class above them…the class below and finally their own class.  If you don’t like where you fit in…they better get in the gym and improve their skills.  It takes discipline and dedication…but it will be worth it when next season rolls around.  The reality of the situation is that if your son wants to play in High School they have to put in the time during the summer.  

We’ll have access to the gyms and we have access to one of the best weight rooms in the area…it’s up to your son to decide if he wants it bad enough.

Thanks again for a great year…Steve

PS…I love the picture that the 7th graders gave me…it is proudly displayed in my office at work!

Signed:  Steve VanGinkel