Things are heating up this winter as the boys and girls basketball teams ignite the court. When you join the crowd, you’ll not only witness fast breaks, slick passes, and quick steals, but you’ll also feel the tight camaraderie and fierce drive that only Waconia High School and Southwest Christian High School teams embody. Learn a little more about these two powerhouse groups, then show up to pack the stands for a season of thrills.
Waconia High School Teams
Ready to Compete
Dusty Neibauer, head coach of the girls’ basketball team, says they’re coming to the floor with experienced, hard-working seniors, along with younger players who offer shooting, physicality, speed, and energy. “We need our experienced seniors to continue the upward trajectory and positive tone that we established last year, and turn it into competing at the highest level every night.” Dusty also explains that the team aspires to compete for a share of the Metro West conference championship and would also like to make a run in the 2AAAA section playoffs, which is perhaps the toughest section in the state of Minnesota.
To help motivate each other, they’ve observed one D1 college practice and will attend another this year. Last year, it was St. Thomas; this year, they’ll head to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. “Many of our players dream of playing at that level,” Dusty shares. In addition to practice visits, the group builds unity by sharing team meals, bagging groceries as a team activity, and doing post-game Taco Bell runs. “The girls spend a ton of time together, because they’re genuine friends who want to see each other succeed.” To build on that success, these dedicated players would love even more support in the stands. “Waconians need to know how hard our girls play. We’re an underdog program, new to AAAA hoops, but win-or-lose, we compete the right way — for each other. Come and see for yourself this winter.” https://www.waconiaactivities.org/gbasketball
Game On
“We have a hungry group! From day one, we’re going to hit the ground running, preparing to compete in a tough section,” says Nick Perrin, head coach of the boys’ basketball team. For Nick, the team’s main goal is simple: learn and improve each day. “Progress isn’t linear and there will be some bumps in the road along the way, but if we look at each day as an opportunity to get better, we will be playing our best basketball come sections.” As the new coach this year, Nick describes the team's culture as evolving, admits there will be some changes that come along with the transition, and says the team is excited and ready. “We’ll work on becoming tough-minded athletes who care more about our teammates than ourselves. If we can take steps toward that, the X’s and O’s will come easily.”
On the court, Nick believes that creating a positive environment and treating the boys with respect goes a long way. He shares that their play style lends itself to creating a fun atmosphere that the guys enjoy. He says they’ll be using basketball as a tool to instill values that will extend beyond the court and help prepare the players for what comes next in life. Off the court, Nick believes chemistry is best built organically. “We’ll work on putting them in situations (without their phones!) to get them interacting.”
When it comes to the community and its role in the team’s success, Nick can already tell they have tremendous support. “Our booster club is only a couple of years old, but they’ve worked extremely hard and, with the help of many generous local businesses, community members, and family and friends, have been able to provide us with great financial support.” Nick notes that the school spirit in Waconia is strong, and he hopes to showcase a team on the court that people will be excited to watch — while winning some games along the way. https://www.waconiaactivities.org/bbasketball
Southwest Christian High School Teams
Building Character
David Flom is charging into his 3rd year as head coach of the boys' basketball team at Southwest Christian High School and is excited about where the program is from a cultural standpoint.
“Our guys are working hard on their own and are playing a selfless brand of basketball. We’ve loaded up our schedule again to challenge ourselves to compete for a section championship.” The team will rely on several returning players who contributed to last year’s conference title, along with the continued growth they’ve made over the past year. David says this year the guys are powerful and will match up size-wise with most schools they play, including all the top-tier AAAA teams on their schedule.
The group is starting the season by tackling the question, ‘What do we want to be known for?’ David says he expects the team to talk about their selflessness and modeling Jesus’ love for others, as well as their goal of winning the conference and the section championship. “I loved my 16 years in Eden Prairie. We had a lot of success, but I cannot describe how great a place Southwest Christian is. It’s so fun to be part of an amazing community that really supports our students and helps athletes excel.”
New Season. New Energy.
“I am personally honored to have the opportunity to lead this program.” Those are the sentiments of Randy Olson, head coach of the girls’ basketball team at Southwest Christian High School. Randy believes they have a thrilling season ahead, with strong senior and junior leadership combined with a talented group of freshmen and sophomore athletes.
“This program has great, positive energy. We’ve set our expectations for the season—that we will play fast, fun, and free—and I’m very excited to be working with this team and program!”
While this year’s roster is less experienced than in previous years, Randy is confident that their quality depth will be a strength. “As a program, we understand that we don’t have complete control of the outcome, but we do have complete control over how we approach each game and situation.” Through ups and downs, Randy says, they’re focused on team and individual growth.
If you’d like to show your support for these hard-working athletes, the team would love to see you at a game or two. Additional participation is always welcomed through supporting their fundraising activities or volunteering to help at Southwest Christian High School’s girls’ basketball events.