High School Sports View Jul/Aug '16

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F E AT U R E S A WANTED MANN Fergus Falls Three Sport Athlete Tosten Mann

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LIVING ON THE 15TH HOLE Adam Young

BY MERRIE SUE HOLTAN

THROWING FOR GOLD

Elbow Lake’s Annabelle Haarstad

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A CONVERSATION WITH CRAIG Cassie Beseman

BY JACKIE JENSON

BY CRAIG OLSON

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FISHIN’ FOR MORE Ashton Hegge

BY ANNE DUNHAM

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THEN & NOW Gary Schuler

LIVING ON THE 15TH HOLE ADAM YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHY BY: THRU HIM PHOTOGRAPHY

BY CRAIG OLSON

COVER

www.highschoolsportsview.com VOLUME 3 NO. 6

S C H O L A R AT H L E T E S

BY NORM NEWELL

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JULY / AUGUST 2016

46

ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Megan and Bethany Hasz

BY CRAIG OLSON

05 05 11 11 17 17 25 25 31 31 37 37 39 39 45

PELICAN RAPIDS: MASON THORNTON UNDERWOOD: GRACE NOYES BARNESVILLE: CONNOR JOHN BRECKENRIDGE: STEVEN LIPP WEST CENTRAL: RYLEY NELSON BATTLE LAKE: JARED SCHOLTEN BRANDON-EVANSVILLE: KENNEDY LUND HILLCREST: REGGIE UNDSETH PERHAM: JOSIE BEACHY DETROIT LAKES: HANNAH RHODES FRAZEE: CHARLTON WAKE ROTHSAY: MITCHELL FABRE ASHBY: AUSTIN WALKER FERGUS FALLS: GABRIEL ENDERLE ALEXANDRIA: KENDALL KOHLER

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Scholar Athlete > PELICAN RAPIDS

VIKINGS

Mason Thornton DANCE - SOFTBALL Nickname: Mase, Masson Favorite School Subject: Science (Anatomy) Grade Point Average: 3.99 Groups and Organizations: 4-H, National Honor Society, Youth Group, Yearbook, FCA, Knowledge Bowl, Math Team

I Root For: Minnesota Vikings Pets: Two Horses, Two Dogs, Five Rabbits, Four Cats and One Hamster In Ten Years...I’ll Be: Finishing up college and starting residency.

Scholar Athlete > UNDERWOOD

ROCKETS

Grace Noyes BASKETBALL - VOLLEYBALL Nickname: Gracie-poo; G Favorite School Subject: English Grade Point Average: 4.0 I Root For: NDSU Bison

Groups and Organizations: Interact, Student Council, BPA, National Honor Society, Choir Pets: Two Cats In Ten Years...I’ll Be: Finishing college for nursing.

I

n days go ne by yo u could w “wanted” alk into posters. Th your loca ose poste l post offi Fast forw rs depicte ce and se ard to to d e a bulle so d a m y e a nd to ne boards, se of the m tin board ost famo w kind o eking th full of u who gra f e s crimina “ b w est high anted” p duated th ls in the sc o st h e o rs o is l area. on colleg athletes spring fr those po to join th e coache om Ken ster board s’ bulleti nedy Sec eir colleg s. Not be n o e done so ndary Sc teams. T cause he’s well in a hool in osten M done any ll three o F a e n rg n u th , s Falls, is ing bad, f his high but quite on severa school sp th Tosten, n l o of e opposite rts. amed aft , because er his gre he has is a gifted a tg re at grandfa athlete w ho has ex ther Tost when he en Osten celled in was nam fo son who o tb e a d ll the Fergu , hockey emigrate letters, p and base s Falls H d from N hone call ball. Tha igh Scho orway, s and tex t was rec o l M ts from c a le e A ntly evid th ollege co le te o f enced the Year. aches an He’s been d junior hockey c receiving lubs for so me time now.

TOSTEN MANN Why, you ask? Well, thanks for asking. First I’ll tell you why and then we’ll talk about the “wanted” posters.

For the last two years, Tosten has been terrorizing defensive backfields in football as a wide receiver for the Fergus Falls Otters. As a junior, he had 13 receptions for 196 yards and two touchdowns on a mostly run-focused team. His senior year, he broke out big time with 31 receptions for 590 yards and 11 TD’s.

He and good friend Isaiah Lemke, the quarterback, had a special bond fueled by friendship off the field, but heightened by a lot of pass pattern practice in the summer making that break-out year possible. Football coach Steve Olson said there were lots of colleges interested in Mann and the “wanted” contacts started flowing in.

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by Norm Newell • Photography by Thru Him Photography

“Tosten was a match-up nightmare for most of the teams we played. He has always had plenty of natural ability but he came into his senior season with more confidence that put him at another level,” says Olson.

“He was a great teammate and had the respect of his teammates because they noticed his work ethic during the off-season. When an athlete like Tosten adds the weight room work and extra practice to his natural ability he becomes a leader by example.”

Mann was selected to the All Midwest District team and named the Most Valuable Wide Receiver for the Midwest District for his outstanding season. “It was a great senior year in football (the team was 7-2), I enjoyed playing with all my friends on the team. Receiver coach Kevin Pearson worked with me a lot on running routes, breaking it down into the major parts so I could really improve my moves. He gave good advice for on and off the field, like don’t get too high or too low, play within yourself, play with

confidence but stay humble and be a good teammate.”

Choosing to play football came naturally for Tosten. His grandfather, Randy Mann and Randy’s brother Errol Mann both played college football at UND. You may have heard of Errol Mann, he went on to play professionally for the Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders, winning a Super Bowl with the Raiders as a kicker. His father, Tom Mann, also played high school football and got Tosten into the youth football program, started by legendary youth coach Dan Prischmann just as Tosten was getting into 3rd grade.

In hockey, Mann was a three year starter playing the defenseman position. In that position your job is to stop goals and leave the scoring

to the front line players. But Tosten still managed to score 21 career goals and have 50 assists on goals, good stats for his position. He was recognized for his efforts as an AllConference Honorable Mention his junior year, helping the team to an 18-6-3 record. “It was a group I had played with all through youth hockey, we had great leaders, good team chemistry and everyone knew their role,” said Mann. “We all came to work every day in practice and it showed in our game results.” His senior year, he missed the first seven games due to a hip injury suffered in his final football game and the team went 1-6 through those games. They went 10-6-2 after he came back. A reflection of what a difference maker he is on the ice.

Mann participated in an elite prep development league his sophomore and junior years, which along with his high school play created more “wanted” notices from coaches. His senior year, he was nominated for the Reed Larson Award as a state top defenseman, was selected AllConference, was selected Section 6-A First Team, received the Lee Franklin Hockey Scholarship, and participated in the Ted Brill Great 8 Tournament featuring the top seniors from each section.

“Tosten is a dedicated three-sport athlete and has been an excellent player in our hockey program,” noted Fergus Falls coach Mike Donaghue. “There are many qualities that make him stand out. He’s a great teammate, he practices extremely hard, he works on the aspects of his game he needs to make better and he’s a real student of the game. His greatest asset is his skating ability which allows him to maneuver easily, take chances and recover quickly and get up the ice into offensive positions when needed. He has had several teams in the North American Hockey League (the ‘juniors’ hockey league used as development for top colleges and/or the pros) interested in him.”

skate around the driveway. He had great balance, learning to ride a bike in two weeks, also at age 2.” The elder Mann played high school and college hockey, and along with his brother, Tim, won a Division 2 National Hockey Championship at Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The hockey bloodlines are definitely present.

“I’ve been lucky to have a lot of good coaching help along the way,” says Tosten. “My Dad and Larry Goos coached a lot of our youth

Hockey also came naturally to Tosten. Mother, Tria Mann, herself a three-sport athlete in high school, says, “He was a very precocious kid, very coordinated right away, and at age 2 he would put on my rollerblades, about twice his size, and

hockey, then Mike Donaghue and Mike Alt along with Tim Lill have all added their advice and expertise to help me along the way. Brian Franklin helped a number of us at Athletic Republic where we used a skating treadmill to improve our skating stride and posture.”

“The hockey involvement has been a wonderful experience for Tom and me,” says Tria Mann. “Tom spent a lot of quality time with Tosten coaching his youth teams and we’ve

met so many wonderful parents along the way, including some from other towns when Tosten played with the elite development league.

His nickname around Fergus Falls is T-Mann, but his first development league coach mispronounced his name as ‘Toasten’ so his nickname to all those players and parents is ‘Toast’.”

Third sport up is baseball, where T-Mann started the usual way, in T-ball. When he was kindergarten age, he won a hit, throw and run contest, taking all three categories.

He played all through youth and then traveling teams, coached and mentored by Trevor Larson, who is still a mentor today. He started high school varsity as a junior and immediately made a big impact, leading the team in hitting with a .467 batting average, which won him the

TOSTEN MANN

Team Offensive Player of the Year award. He is finishing his senior year at the time of this writing and is again leading the team in hitting with a .405 average. He has been nominated for both All-Conference and All-State and coach Mark Aho believes he has a very good chance at being accepted for both.

“Tosten is a very gifted athlete, a leader for us at the plate, but also a very good defensive player,” notes coach Aho. “He plays multiple positions for us, wherever we need him for that day. I believe he can play any one of his three sports at a high level in college.”

With all his three-sport recognition you would expect that’s all Tosten has to focus on. But he’s a 3.3 GPA student, he sings in the school choir, and he likes to hunt and fish with his dad, Grandpa Randy and Uncle Tim. Mostly you can find him with his buddies, boating at the lake, playing video games, enjoying bonfires, or maybe swimming in the river.

“Tosten has always loved his sports,” says Tria, “Which Tom and I supported because we grew up play-

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by Norm Newell • Photography by Thru Him Photography

ing sports and feel strongly that it teaches many life lessons. It also makes you an integral part of the community and you make life-long friends. All the supportive coaches and parents Tosten has met along the way have been right there with us helping Tosten grow into a good player, but more importantly a good teammate and friend, and we are proud of him for that.”

Now for those college coaches’ “wanted” posters.

First football, where college coaches felt Tosten had the size, excellent pass catching hands, and route running ability that would make him a good college football player. Several colleges contacted him (MinnesotaMoorhead, Bemidji State, UM-Duluth) with Minnesota-Crookston offering him a scholarship. “I was most interested in an offer to be a ‘preferred walk-on” with North Dakota State and join their five-time national championship program,” said Tosten, “But I had to decide whether I wanted to put my body through five more years of football contact.” He visited the NDSU campus and gave very serious consideration to going there.

In baseball, again several colleges were interested and Tosten visited UM-Duluth. “I was impressed with the coaching staff, the players I met, and the Duluth campus. I was very close to signing with them the day I visited, but wanted to go back home and think through all the sports” In hockey, several teams in the North American Hockey League, referred to as the “juniors”, contacted Tosten. There are three tiers in the junior leagues, Tier I down to Tier III. Tosten had actually played a few games with the Alexandria Tier III team, where he was noticed by other junior league coaches. The Brookings (SD) Blizzard Tier II team offered him a tender to play with them, and he is scheduled to try out with the Tier I Dubuque Fighting Saints.

So after being wanted by all the coaches in all three of his sports, what was the decision?

In Tosten’s words, “It was a lot to think about and I knew it was going to be a hard decision. My mom and dad sat down with me and asked the question that really made up my mind. What sport can you not

get along without playing next year?

That was when it became clear to me that hockey has always been my passion, I guess ever since I was 2 years old.”

So Tosten has signed a tender to play with the Tier II Brookings Blizzard next year. But you can always override that and accept a higher tier offer, so he will have an early June try-out with the Dubuque Fighting Saints and if he makes that team, he would likely go there to play. At his age, Tosten can only play in juniors a maximum of two years. Usually from juniors, a player goes to a college hockey program or an exceptional player may get a pro offer.

Tosten has every intention of going to college and hopes the juniors will help him get a college scholarship offer.

Even after his hockey playing decision, the UM-Duluth baseball coach has told Tosten he’s always welcome to come there for baseball if the hockey route doesn’t meet his expectations.

He’s still a wanted Mann, seems college coaches all want a piece of ‘Toast’.

Scholar Athlete > BARNESVILLE

TROJANS

Connor John FOOTBALL - BASKETBALL Nickname: Moose Favorite School Subject: Math, History Grade Point Average: 3.79 Notable Academic Accomplishments: Football Academics Award

I Root For: Florida Gators, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Vikings Pets: Dogs, Remington and Jackson; Horses, Snap and Grace In Ten Years...I’ll Be: Working somewhere and making a lot of money.

Scholar Athlete > BRECKENRIDGE

COWBOYS

Steven Lipp FOOTBALL - BASKETBALL - TRACK Nickname: Lipper Favorite School Subject: History Grade Point Average: 2.7 I Root For: The Tar Heels Pets: Cats: Tommy, Kitsy and Dog: Pug Paris

Groups and Organizations: Knowledge Bowl Team Notable Academic Accomplishment: B Honor Roll In Ten Years...I’ll Be: Working with kids in the gym at the high school or college level.

JULY / AUGUST 2016 SPORTS VIEW 11

ANNABELLE HAARSTAD

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n a sport where inches determine the winner, modern discus competitors utilize superior technique, concentrated coordination and a lot of mental fortitude to become champions. There is a certain amount of trepidation upon entering a discus throwing ring, or circle, as it is sometimes called, explains 2016 Minnesota State High School League Track and Field discus medalist, Annabelle Haarstad.

“Throwing discus is more about form than anything else,” notes the recent Elbow Lake High School

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graduate. “You don’t go up there and just muscle it; it’s a lot of foot work and coordination.”

An ancient sport dating back to 708 BC, a successful discus hurler calls on a whole body and mind effort when throwing. Today, a high school girl discus thrower, for example, will utilize the entire 2.5 meter circle – the standard high school throwing ring diameter – to send their discs sailing more than 100 feet competitively. In this regard, discus is both fun and a bit unnerving, notes Haarstad.

by Jackie Jenson • Photography by Jeremy Petrick Photography

Says the hurler, “The pressure can be pretty nerve wracking sometimes; it makes it more a mental toughness game. I’ll never forget a meet in ninth grade when that pressure got to me. It was a meet I was set to win, but for some reason, I freaked out about it and ended up scratching all of my throws and not even placing.”

Learning from the aforementioned scenario, Haarstad quelled her nerves and discovered how to succeed with respect to the discus. Perfecting practice and gaining confidence in the age-old sport, soon her anxious nemesis became her strength.

“Now, it’s kind of a release for me too. If I’m having a bad day, I can just go out and throw and it clears my mind,” says the state medalist who throws for the West Central Area Knights.

Haarstad made her move to the field events and most notably the discus, in middle school where the hurling sport captured her imagination early on.

“In 7th grade, I had to choose between track and softball; since I didn’t really like softball that much, I decided to give throwing a shot and ended up loving it,” says the Elbow

Lake native. “I started doing pretty good in 8th grade and decided that it was something I really wanted to work and improve on, so I could be to the point where I am today.”

as nervous as my first year,” notes Haarstad. “With field events, we get a lot of down time with our competitors and it’s really fun getting to know them.”

Thanks to her hard work through the years, Haarstad found herself competing in her second state competition this year, placing third overall in Class A discus.

During the 2015-16 track and field seasons, Haarstad competed in discus and shot put. She also made time for a bit of fun, participating in a special running relay just for field event participants.

“This year, it [the state championship] was more fun than anything else, since it was my second trip to state, I knew what to expect and how things work, so I wasn’t nearly

Haarstad explains, “This year I competed in just discus, shot put, and the occasional banana relay, a 4x100 relay with field event athletes. In-

stead of a baton, you hand off a banana and once they reach the finish line, the anchor eats the banana.

The first to finish wins.”

The first in her family to see sporting success at the state level, Haarstad is confident she won’t be the last of the Haarstad clan to do so.

“My nine-year old, little brother, Ben, has informed me that he’s going to throw [discus] in high school, and that I have to coach him because I’m the best thrower he knows. He wants to go to state just like I did,” Haarstad says.

JULY / AUGUST 2016 SPORTS VIEW 15

ANNABELLE HAARSTAD

by Jackie Jenson • Photography by Jeremy Petrick Photography

Correctly and safely throwing an official one kilogram high school discus involves spinning the body one and a half revolutions after which the thrower launches a rubber, plate-shaped object from their hand into the air. The person who tosses it the furthest wins. Requiring core strength as well as agility, successful throwers utilize both upper and lower body strength. It is a total body effort notes Haarstad.

The MSHSL record for girl’s discus is 175-feet, 9-inches set by Maggie Ewen of St. Francis in 2013.

credits her coaches for instilling in her.

Although throwing is a true “total body” endeavor, many throwers develop shoulder issues such as rotator cuff and glenoid labrum strains.

Haarstad has been fortunate to avoid those more serious injuries, but she has battled with tendinosis – a long term inflammation of the tendons in her shoulder – and has had to concentrate on, “settling down” her overused muscles and strengthening the surrounding ones.

“I have had shoulder issues for a few years; it can make throwing, especially shot put, pretty difficult sometimes. I started going to physical therapy at the beginning of this season, and it has helped tremendously,” remarks the hurler.

Hard work and pushing through adversity, though, is the path to success she says. During a typical track season, for example, practices are Monday through Friday with generally one meet each week. In this scenario, rain affords a little extra practice time.

“When we have wet springs, a lot of meets get cancelled, and we can practice for weeks without a meet,” she notes.

During the off season, Haarstad says she typically just lifts and gives her shoulder a much-needed break. But there is really no off season for the modern-day, high school athlete.

With school, activities and a job, down time is a rarity.

“It does get hard sometimes, es-

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pecially since I worked during the school year too. I feel like I always had something to do and at times that got a little overwhelming,” says Haarstad. “You have to learn to prioritize and use your time wisely.”

Like many of the state-bound athletes in the MSHSL system, Haarstad enjoys and competes in other sports as well. Although throwing is her mainstay, additional activities include basketball through her senior year and even volleyball for a time. “Each sport offers a different kind of challenge to excel,” notes Haarstad. “Basketball, team cohesiveness and throwing, mental toughness.”

“In basketball, you can shoot and miss and have a teammate there to rebound; you have four other people on the court to help you out. With throwing, it’s all on you,” describes Haarstad.

Striving for success in every sport she competes, Haarstad adds, “We had a really fun [basketball] season with a lot of improvement,” adding getting back to state was her goal for discus this track season.

Next year, Haarstad will be attending Graceland University, a small liberal arts college in southern Iowa.

With plans to compete in track and major in psychology, the soon-to-be college freshmen will be adding even more to her list of accomplishments on the track field, and in the classroom.

Much like her love for the differences that basketball and discus afford her, Haarstad is also fond of math and English and looks forward to continuing her education as well.

“I like math because there is always an answer, even if you don’t get it the first time, which is usually the case for me,” explains Haarstad. “I like English because I really enjoy reading and writing,” she continues.

Whether it is school or sports, Haarstad remarks that a good attitude goes a long way, something she

“My coaches have taught me so many great lessons and I appreciate them all. Hard work, perseverance, a good attitude, positivity, and a smile will get you places,” she says.

Eyeing the future and wrapping up her senior year, Haarstad looks back fondly on all the lessons learned through the sports she has participated in and the many athletes she has met through the years because of them.

“I’m going to miss the camaraderie I had with my fellow competitors. I’ve made so many friends throughout the years in sports and I’m going to miss competing with them a lot. We pushed each other to be better athletes and had a lot of fun,” she says.

“My goals were to throw at least 125’ and place at state, both of which I completed,” concludes Haarstad, adding that she also wanted to make the podium and have fun doing it – something she also achieved at the 2016 state track meet – creating the perfect bookend to her high school athletic career.

Scholar Athlete > WEST CENTRAL

KNIGHTS

Ryley Nelson CROSS COUNTRY - TRACK Favorite School Subject: Math Grade Point Average: 3.90 Groups and Organizations: Student Council, National Honor Society, Band, Choir, Jazz Band Pets: Dog - Dudley (Beagle), Cats - Many

Notable Academic Accomplishment: #1 in Class, Excell Award Winner I Root For: Timberwolves, Vikings, Any Professional Runner In Ten Years...I’ll Be: Either working on the family farm or working in Colorado as a skydiving instructor.

Scholar Athlete > BATTLE LAKE

BATTLERS

Jared Scholten BASKETBALL Nickname: J-Rod Favorite School Subject: Nope Grade Point Average: 3.9 Groups and Organizations: National Honor Society I Root For: Jesus

Notable Academic Accomplishment: Um...I beat minesweeper in seven seconds Pets: A dog named Anakin Where Do You See Yourself in Ten Years: America

JULY / AUGUST 2016 SPORTS VIEW 17

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ADAM YOUNG

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dam Young, 17, was born with a silver stick in his hands. Well, actually at about age three, he took hold of a golf club and starting hitting balls. It was only natural since his family owns Balmoral Golf Course near Battle Lake.

“It’s my backyard,” says Adam, a member of Otter Tail Central boys golf team, “I can practice on the course basically anytime I want.”

This over and over practice has resulted in some impressive numbers.

He participated in the state tournament in 2014 as a ninth grader, and as a sophomore in 2015, he earned 22nd place. In 2016 Quad City conference play he won four first place honors, one second place, and was

by Merrie Sue Holtan • Photography by Thru Him Photography

the conference MVP. He’s chasing another state tournament appearance to round out his junior year.

“Adam is a talented golfer and has the potential to become our most decorated boys golfer ever,” says Otter Tail Central coach, Mike Hepola. “He has grown up around the game, and his love of the game is the biggest reason he’s improved so much in the past few years.”

Adam has also produced some impressive stats in the classroom. He has a 3.96 GPA. It’s his attention to detail and focus which helps Adam solve complex problems in the classroom, as well as analyze his golf swing in depth.

It’s only natural Adam and his brother, Drew, 15, also a member of the golf team, come by this love of golf naturally.

Their dad, John, a member of the PGA of America, earned a Minnesota State High School golf championship in 1985 while he was a student at Chaska High School. He continued to play and teach golf as a pro in the Twin Cities until the opportunity came up fifteen years ago to purchase Balmoral.

Mom, Karen, a Battle Lake native grew up in a baseball family. The Battle Lake baseball field is named for her father, Dick Buntje. Now she enjoys golfing with her family.

Being outside together on the golf course is a great activity.

Both John and Karen took a “gingerly” parenting approach towards the boys and golf.

“Because our lives revolve around the course, we didn’t ever want to push golf on the boys. We never wanted them to hate our workplace or the game,” Karen says. “They have become such good helpers for us working in and around the clubhouse.”

“The kids have to develop their own love of golf,” John says. “You can’t push them. Golf and the course have become a lifestyle for them.

I’ve seen Adam many nights chipping onto the green as the sun goes down or taking putt after putt on the practice green without my encouragement.“

“I’ve seen Adam many nights chipping onto the green as the sun goes down or taking putt after putt on the practice green.”

Adam’s dad, John Young

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ADAM YOUNG John has taught the boys to have an eye for making golf simple. It can be so technical, he says, but the trick is to simplify. He uses videotaping and makes short comments for improvement.

“It’s such a mental game,” John says, “Much more than physical.

I don’t over coach. Golf is a game best learned through individual experiences and instruction when needed.”

Adam’s techniques Adam entered his first tournaments when he was about eight years old in a junior PGA league playing local courses. By seventh grade he had lettered in varsity golf.

“I remember being stubborn as a kid,” Adam says. “If I didn’t play well, I would get mad and it ruined the game for me. I wouldn’t let my dad coach me.”

He remembers the state tournament where he took 38 putts the second

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by Merrie Sue Holtan • Photography by Thru Him Photography

day and he had to deal with the situation mentally.

mass choir. We had a world-class conductor and it was really cool.”

“Keep it simple, I told myself. Don’t think too complex,” Adam says.

“Just keep going and push through.

The mental part of my golf has improved the most.”

By placing in the state competition, Adam also earned a spot on the Business Professionals of America national competition in Boston.

Adam loves the feel of a well hit drive and to see the ball fly. Chipping is also fun. “I love sticking it close enough to birdie,” he says. “My dad is my swing coach and Coach Hepola really helps me mentally.”

Carnegie Hall and Boston Life is not just about 18-holes for Adam. This past school year, as a tenor and member of the Battle Lake choir and select show choir, he traveled to Carnegie Hall to perform with students from all over the United States.

“We go to a festival in New York City every four years,” Adam says.

“Last time we earned a 97 score and were invited to participate in the

“Adam is a good kid, smart and solid” says his mom, Karen. “He is a dedicated student, and it was a great opportunity for him to go to the east coast. Battle Lake High School is second to none in enriching the students academically and socially. “

“His love of the game is the biggest reason he’s improved so much in the past few years.”

Coach Mike Hepola

“I’ve really appreciated the opportunity to coach Adam over the years,” says Coach Hepola. “He is very coachable and his passion for the game of golf is contagious, especially with the younger kids. He will continue to accomplish great things because of his work ethic and desire.”

Adam’s tips Driving: If you are hitting poorly, swing slower and analyze the details.

Don’t try to kill the ball.

Irons: Avoid swinging too fast and pulling your head up. This is a slow accurate shot. Not about how far you hit it.

Putting: Be confident. Walk on the green thinking,” I’m going to make this.” Keep focus while putting.

Weather Conditions: Know everything about the wind.

Overall: Golf ’s a weird game.

Something always is getting thrown off. Just keep playing through it.

Keep going within and outside of the round.

JULY / AUGUST 2016 SPORTS VIEW 23

• Must be a 2017 Graduating Senior, Attending Post Secondary School • Must have been featured in High School Sports View as a Scholar Athlete • Download PDF Scholarship Application online at www.fmsportsview.com and submit with essay (500 word max) by emailing both to artwork@fmsportsview.com • Application deadline: February 20, 2017 • Scholarship recipients will be announced in a Summer 2017 issue of High School Sports View.

24 SPORTS VIEW JULY / AUGUST 2016

Scholar Athlete > BRANDON-EVANSVILLE

CHARGERS

Kennedy Lund VOLLEYBALL - BASKETBALL - SOFTBALL Nickname: Ken Favorite School Subject: Math Grade Point Average: 3.99 Groups and Organizations: BPA, FCCLA, 4-H, National Honor Society

Notable Academic Accomplishment: Student of the Month I Root For: Minnesota Gophers Pets: Spencer and Harley In Ten Years...I’ll Be: Finishing up college and getting a job.

Scholar Athlete > HILLCREST

COMETS

Reggie Undseth FOOTBALL - BASKETBALL - BASEBALL Nickname: Reg, Reginald Favorite School Subject: English Grade Point Average: 4.07 Groups and Organizations: National Honor Society, Student Council, Key Club, Band, Choir, Knowledge Bowl

Notable Academic Accomplishments: ACSI Distinguished Student in Academics I Root For: Minnesota Twins, Vikings; Oregon Ducks In Ten Years...I’ll Be: Doing something I love and living with a family

A CONVERSATION Cassie Beseman PERHAM > CROSS COUNTRY Cassie Beseman graduated from Perham High School in 2012. She was an accomplished distance runner for the Yellowjackets, competing in four state cross country meets and two state track meets. She was a part of conference and section championship teams in both sports and placed very well at conference and sections in both sports individually from 8th through 12th grade. Cassie ran cross country in college but stopped after one season due to medical reasons. She is currently a Certified Athletic Trainer with Lake Region Healthcare in Fergus Falls.

CRAIG OLSON: How and when did you first become interested in running competitively?

CASSIE BESEMAN: I started running cross country as a 5th grader in Perham. I really liked it, but I would say I really started after my first year at the Perham Cross Country Camp that we had in the summer before I was in 7th grade.

I had a lot of fun with all my teammates there and realized I could actually run pretty decently so I kind of decided at that time that I wanted to do this for a while.

CO: You grew up during a time where the Perham cross country and track and field programs really took off. Who influenced you most as a runner during your formative years?

26 SPORTS VIEW JULY / AUGUST 2016

CB: Jeff Morris was a big influence. I really enjoyed spending time with my teammates and Morris really invests in his athletes. He was always super supportive. He pushed us a lot, but he knows what he’s doing as a coach and was a great mentor all throughout high school.

CO: Talk about the “running culture” that has been created in Perham and why it has become such a source of pride in the community from the runners on up to the business and community leaders.

CB: That’s a tough question.

Morris stresses positive attitudes and respect at all times which has given the teams a good image from the community perspective. The teams

by Craig Olson Craig follows area sports throughout the year at www.craigolsonsports.com

also take initiative. The success that is seen at the section and state meets isn’t just because of the hard work that is put in during the season. It’s achieved by the hard work done in the off-season which is led by the team captains. Every day in the summer there is a large group of people, organized by the team captains, out running at various times each day. The community sees this commitment and hard work and wants to back up a program like that. The team invests time in themselves and the community wants to reward that hard work by supporting them in any way possible.

CO: What made your specific class/group of student-athletes so successful in your sports?

A CONVERSATION WITH CRAIG CB: Coming back from injury my sophomore year, qualifying for state individually in track my junior year, and participating in the community musical every year.

CO: You were able to compete in some big events in high school and out of high school. What were some of your favorite and most successful events?

CB: Definitely competing at state in both sports every year. I also competed in Australia as part of DownUnder Sports which was pretty neat.

CO: What is your ideal day for running, as far as the weather is concerned, and what type of conditions did you absolutely not want to run in?

CB: We were a very competitive class all around. We all started athletics at a young age and stuck with it. We not only competed against other teams, but we had friendly competition against each other too --which only made us better.

CO: What did you see as your strengths as a student-athlete?

CB: I was very organized. I was very involved in extra-curricular activities throughout high school which helped me become very organized.

That’s now translated into my current profession as I have to be organized in order to keep up with all the schools that I cover.

CO: Were there certain teammates, coaches or opponents who inspired or motivated you throughout your high school career?

CB: Morris definitely motivates all of his athletes, but Kelsey Kratzke and I were very close during track season and we always pushed each other.

CO: Tell us about some of your top high school memories.

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CB: That depends. I still run a little now and perfect weather is sunny and about 60 degrees. However, when I was still competing in high school, I ran really well in rainy weather. It differs for every person and every situation.

CO: What type of training regimen did you have in season and during the off season?

CB: Whatever Morris said. In season we did more workouts that were very specific ranging from short, speed workouts to longer endurance workouts. Then both in season and out of season we typically did one long run a week as well as some 3-5 mile training runs.

CO: Did you compete in college after your high school graduation and are you still running competitively? If so, what events will you be running in this summer?

CB: I did compete in college for one season of cross country but had to stop due to medical reasons. I am still active and have run the Fargo Marathon twice.

CO: When did you develop an interest in athletic training and where did you get your education?

CASSIE BESEMAN CB: I kind of fell into athletic training. Originally I was going to school for physical therapy and was told I had to get an undergraduate degree in something else first. Athletic Training was a suggested field and so I started pursuing that degree. After a half a semester of athletic training classes, I knew this is what I wanted to do with my life. I graduated with my Athletic Training degree from the University of Mary in 2015.

CO: Was there an athletic trainer or Coach who encouraged you to pursue this field?

CB: No. I didn’t even know what an athletic trainer was until I went to college.

CO: Take us through a typical day as an athletic trainer, if there is such a thing as a typical day.

CB: Well… There really isn’t a typical day because we always have to be prepared for anything to happen. However, some days I will go to work at the clinic in orthopedics from 9 to around 2. Then I head out to my schools and do any pre-practice work that needs to be done (taping, evaluations, stretching, etc…).

Then I head to practice and games where we first try to prevent injuries; if an injury occurs, we evaluate and treat it accordingly. We are on-call almost all the time and are always ready to help when needed.

CO: What is the most satisfying part of your job?

CB: The most satisfying part of my job is building relationships with the athletes I get to work with and watching them come back from injury.

CO: What is the most frustrating part of your job?

CB: Seeing an athlete who can’t do what they love to do because of an injury.

CO: Explain how you are assigned to cover the schools you cover and how the arrangement works between the local schools and Lake Region Healthcare.

CB: I cover Underwood, Battle Lake, Henning, and Ashby high schools. We have a contract with each of those schools where I cover as many events and practices as I can. It takes a lot of organization at the beginning of the season but it works out so all four schools get almost equal coverage. We cover all home football games and then get to as many other events as possible.

Many times I am working four to five games a week.

CO: How many athletic trainers are a part of your group and how much do you rely on each other for advice, support, etc.?

CB: There are four athletic trainers employed by Lake Region Healthcare. As a team we cover eight schools – seven area high schools and M State. We help each other out as much as possible to get our events covered. We are also able to bounce ideas off each other for rehab for various athletes or weird injuries that we see.

CO: In the future do you see schools being required to have a Certified Athletic Trainer as a part of their staff?

CB: I don’t think that schools will ever be required to have a Certified Athletic Trainer as part of their staff where the ATC gets paid by the school (some schools certainly do this though), but I do think that there will be an athletic trainer at every school in the future whether that be through a contract with a clinic or through the school.

CO: Concussions seem to be much more prevalent than ever before, is this the most concerning injury that you are dealing with right now?

CB: I wouldn’t say that this is the most concerning injury currently.

However, it is a major point of my schooling as an athletic trainer and is becoming more prevalent now because of the seriousness of this particular injury. There is a lot of research being conducted on them right now and the long-term effects concussions can have on one’s brain.

CO: How would you explain your role to people who really don’t know what it is you do?

CB: Athletic trainers work on preventing, assessing, and treating injuries in the physically active population. We’re the people everyone sees on the sidelines of games and we’re the first ones to respond to an injury when one happens. Oftentimes people think that all we do is taping and stretching but we can do so much more than that. We do a full assessment when someone gets injured and determine if a referral is necessary, especially in the case of an x-ray or an MRI. We also do rehab when someone has an injury.

The rehab can be for a simple ankle sprain or through something more extreme, like an ACL tear. Our schooling encompasses a lot of different domains. I personally think that the number one reason all schools should have athletic trainers is because of our emergency training that we go through. When a serious medical emergency happens, we know what to do and are able to activate an emergency action plan thoroughly and appropriately.

CO: When an injury occurs during a game that you are working, you have to make some quick decisions based on what you are seeing as far as whether an athlete should continue. What are the factors that go into helping you make that decision?

CB: If an athlete hits their head, they need to come out and be evaluated for a concussion. The evaluation consists of looking at a bunch

of symptoms, balance, short-term memory, long-term memory, consciousness, as well as many more aspects relating to the brain. If it is a physical injury to any other part of the body, I first look to see if anything is broken. Once that checks out I’ll check out the major ligaments. If nothing is torn, I’ll typically let them continue. I also take into consideration the point of the season that we are in. If it’s the beginning of the season I am more likely to hold an athlete out so their body can fully heal so we don’t have to deal with the injury for the whole season. However, if it’s the end of the season, I’m more likely to let the athlete play if it isn’t something life-threatening or something that can cause more damage if they keep playing.

CO: What type of short term and long term goals to you have in your chosen profession?

CB: Short term, I am working on completing my Master’s Degree online right now in Kinesiology. There are also some advancements that I am working on with my schools to make a better system and improve some small parts of our working relationship with the schools. Long term, I’m not really sure. I love working at the high school level so I don’t really see myself leaving that.

I want to continue to further my education in a variety of ways but I think I will work at the high school level for a long time. The only thing that may change that would be a family… But that’s a long time from now.

CO: What kind of advice would you give to a high school student who is looking at becoming an athletic trainer?

CB: Pursue your dreams. Take advantage of every opportunity you’re given to learn and don’t stress about school. Parts of school can get really crazy when you have numerous tests a day and have to balance clinicals, but so many people have accomplished it before you. You can do it too. Enjoy your time. Don’t stress.

Study hard.

CO: As a sports fan, what teams at the collegiate or professional level are you rooting for?

CB: Being born and raised in Minnesota, I cheer for the Minnesota teams (no matter how good or bad we are). I probably follow the Vikings, Timberwolves, and the Wild

the most, but I tend to cheer for all Minnesota teams. I also still cheer for U-Mary and since my brother Billy is competing for the University of Sioux Falls I feel inclined to cheer for them (unless they’re competing against my school of course).

CO: Hopefully you get some down time to enjoy a little time away. What would be your ideal vacation?

CB: This is a really tough question.

I love traveling and hiking and just spending time out time. I’ve wanted to go to Europe for a while now, but I don’t think I’ll be doing that for a few years still. I also really want to go to Colorado for some reason too. But my ideal vacation is just a place where I can spend time with my family or friends, get away from the busyness of the world, and enjoy the beautiful outdoors.

JULY / AUGUST 2016 SPORTS VIEW 29

30 SPORTS VIEW JULY / AUGUST 2016

Scholar Athlete > PERHAM

YELLOWJACKETS

Josie Beachy TENNIS - BASKETBALL Nickname: Jos Favorite School Subject: History Grade Point Average: 3.375 I Root For: Kentucky Basketball

Pets: Dog, Steph In Ten Years...I’ll Be: Hopefully settling down finding a place to live.

Scholar Athlete > DETROIT LAKES

LAKERS

Hannah Rhodes HOCKEY - TRACK - VOLLEYBALL Nickname: Dust Grade Point Average: 3.4 Favorite School Subjects: Science and Math Notable Academic Accomplishment: Academic Excellence Groups and Organizations: Pay, Target, Link Crew,

Knowledge Bowl, Math League, Interact, Key Club Pets: Two Dogs, Easton and Lily I Root For: Blackhawks In Ten Years...I’ll Be: In Med School.

ASHTON HEGGE

A

shton Hegge does more than school organized sports. Ashton spends a lot of his time in the gym and on the field but fishing and hunting are just as important to him. The 6’2” Breckenridge senior has managed to stay busy with a variety of activities throughout his high school career.

“If Ashton isn’t playing a sport, he’s fishing,” says Ashton’s mom, Jenn, who recently went back to school to become an RN. “Ashton and his dad have a special relationship. They both share a strong interest in fishing. They go often and have good quality father son time.”

Ashton’s dad, Jon, a drafter and estimator for Heitkamp Construction, has always been Ashton’s biggest role model.

“I look up to my dad a lot. I fish with him almost every weekend,” Ashton says.

In addition to athletics and fishing, Ashton has an itch for hunting and being at the lake.

Luring him in Since Ashton was a young child, Jon and Jenn knew they were raising an athlete.

“From a very young age, Ashton always had a ball in his hand. It didn’t matter what type of ball,” Jenn says. “He was always outside playing some sort of ball in the yard with his brothers or neighborhood friends. He required less sleep than the average child.”

“He is our go to guy.”

Baseball coach Kevin Hiedeman It was not a surprise. The Hegge family has a background of participation in athletics.

“All of my family members were in sports growing up. I like to say I followed in my brother’s footsteps,” Ashton says. “I look up to my dad also. He was the top pitcher for his high school.”

Ashton’s parents have been his mentors and source of encouragement his whole life.

“My parents never doubt me and push me to my potential,” Ashton says. “There has not 34 SPORTS VIEW JULY / AUGUST 2016

By Anne Dunham • Photography by Jeremy Petrick Photography

“Whatever he does, he will give it all he has.”

Mom Jenn on Ashton’s commitment been a game in my athletic career without some type of ‘good luck’ from my mom. My dad has helped me develop my skills since I was old enough to throw a ball.”

“Ashton and his brothers have a good relationship with each other.

They are very proud of him and attend his sporting events with pride,” Jenn says.

“I played up until my 8th grade year. I did not have interest to play in high school but my friends convinced me to go back out as a senior and it was fun,” Ashton says.

Ashton’s older brother, Zach, was a successful basketball and baseball player for Breckenridge High School. His younger brother, Jace, is also an athlete at Breckenridge Middle School.

What a catch Starting a sport without much previous experience as a senior can be difficult. For Ashton, it consisted of earning an all-conference award.

He had not played football since he was in 8th grade.

Ashton and two friends decided to make a pact. Their pact was to go out for a sport they had not played in years. Ashton stuck with it, and was successful.

“The football team made it to the playoffs and Ashton played a significant role on the team as a wide receiver, defensive back, and a kicker for kickoffs, field goals, and extra points,” Jenn says.

Besides his successful senior year of football, he had even more success in baseball and basketball. He earned all conference in basketball and baseball his junior and senior year. In baseball, he was named best

JULY / AUGUST 2016 SPORTS VIEW 35

ASHTON HEGGE

By Anne Dunham • Photography by Jeremy Petrick Photography

defender his sophomore year, and best pitcher his junior season.

Ashton has definitely left his mark at Breckenridge High School.

Breckenridge head baseball coach, Kevin Hiedeman, cannot stress enough what Ashton has done for the baseball team over the past four years.

“My junior year of basketball was Breckenridge’s first trip to the state tournament since 1979. It was a big deal for us. Unfortunately we lost our first game,” Ashton says.

“He is our go to guy. When we have to win, Ashton is the guy we give the ball to,” Kevin says. “He is one of the best center fielders I have ever coached.”

“I speak for both of us as parents in that we enjoy watching Ashton and his teammates every chance we get,” Jenn says.

The stats are nothing compared to some of the memories Ashton has made.

“My favorite memory of Ashton’s sports career was when he made a last second shot in a basketball game against Crosby-Ironton to advance them to state,” Jenn says. “I still get chills and tears when I think about that moment or watch it on tape.”

36 SPORTS VIEW JULY / AUGUST 2016

“He is an all-around incredible three-sport athlete,” Kevin says.

Finding the perfect spot It doesn’t matter what game Ashton is playing, he is a team player.

“Ashton is a silent leader. As a captain, he leads with his actions,” Kevin says. “He accepts what happens and keeps plugging through.”

“Ashton is one of the most humble people I have ever known. He is unselfish and wants everyone involved,” Jenn says. “He has a shy, quiet personality, so when he does talk, we stop what we’re doing and listen.

Ashton has decided that North Dakota State College of Science will be a good fit for him to study electrical construction in the fall.

“Ashton excelled in school right from the start. His teachers always had good things to say about him,” Jenn says. “He did things above and beyond what was expected of a kid his age.”

He has had college offers for baseball from NDSCS, baseball and basketball from Crookston, and basketball from Fergus Falls, but decided to focus on school instead.

“I like sports but I am not invested enough to play in college. I would rather be involved in intramurals,” Ashton says. “I have a good friend that is in the electric construction program at NDSCS. He really likes it and I know there are a lot of jobs out there for it.”

“Ashton will go far in whatever he chooses to do. It is tough as a graduate to know exactly what you want to do in life,” Jenn says.

“Whatever he does, he will give it all he has.”

“He gives 100% effort 100% of the time,” Kevin says.

Scholar Athlete > FRAZEE

HORNETS

Charlton Wake FOOTBALL - WRESTLING - TRACK Nickname: Chach Favorite School Subject: Calculus Grade Point Average: 3.851 Pets: Two Dogs, Remi and Fritz...and my dead lizard RIP Forrest 2009-2010

Groups and Organizations: National Honor Society, Student Council, Knowledge Bowl, Prom Committee, Econ Challenge 2016 State Champion In Ten Years...I’ll Be: Hopefully working on theoretical particle physics at Cern or the Sudan Mine

Scholar Athlete > ROTHSAY

TIGERS

Mitchell Fabre FOOTBALL - GOLF Nickname: Mitch Favorite School Subject: Math, Science Grade Point Average: 3.7 I Root For: Blue Mountain State - The Goats

Pets: Old English Bulldog - Bailee, German Shepherd - Aunya In Ten Years...I’ll Be: Undecided

38 SPORTS VIEW JULY / AUGUST 2016

Scholar Athlete > ASHBY

ARROWS

Austin Walker FOOTBALL - BASEBALL Nickname: Wookie (I love Star Wars) Favorite School Subject: Math, Chemistry Grade Point Average: 3.94 Pets: Two Dogs; Pallas and Cody, Three Cats; Angel, Bella and Buffy

Groups and Organizations: National Honor Society President, Knowledge Bowl, Band, Choir I Root For: Denver Broncos In Ten Years...I’ll Be: Graduated from college with a good job and a family.

Scholar Athlete > FERGUS FALLS

OTTERS

Gabriel Enderle FOOTBALL - BASEBALL - BASKETBALL Nickname: Gabe the Babe, Boz Favorite School Subject: Math Grade Point Average: 3.812 Groups and Organizations: Eagle Scout I Root For: Twins, Vikings, Gophers, Florida Gators

Notable Academic Accomplishment: National Honor Society Pets: Dog - Pearl In Ten Years...I’ll Be: Physical Therapist, Chiropractor, Dentistry

Fergus Falls Roosevelt Park Thursday nights at 9pm following Concerts in the Park Date

Movie

Rating

June 9

Inside Out

PG

June 16

Star Wars - The Force Awakens

PG-13

June 23

The Avengers - Age of Ultron

PG-13

June 30

Raiders of the Lost Ark

PG

July 7

Pitch Perfect 2

PG-13

July 14

Minions

PG

July 21

Toy Story

G

July 28

Jurassic World

PG-13

Aug 4

The Mighty Ducks

PG

Aug 11

Monsters, Inc.

G

Aug 18

Top Gun (1986)

PG

Aug 25

Zootopia

PG

Playing at a Town Near You Friday nights at 9pm Date

Movie

Rating

June 10

Inside Out Battle Lake

PG

June 25

Avengers - Age of Ultron Browns Valley

PG-13

July 15

Minions Battle Lake

PG

Aug 12

Monsters, Inc. Battle Lake

G

Aug 26

Zootopia Erhard

PG

40 SPORTS VIEW JULY / AUGUST 2016

Recently retired from his longtime post as Fergus Falls Otters Activities Director, Gary Schuler was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota, lived there through second grade and moved to St. Cloud when his dad was transferred by the Great Northern Railroad. After his freshman year he moved back to Grand Forks and went on to graduate in 1966 from Grand Forks Central High School, part of the largest graduating class in school history.

Gary is the oldest of seven kids in the Schuler family, 3 boys and 4 girls. From a young age, sports was an important part of life for the boys in the family.

“We grew up pretty poor,” recalled Schuler. “We didn’t have a whole lot, but I do remember that whenever we wanted to play ball we got to play ball. We played a lot of catch and a lot of whiffle ball in the back yard. I don’t really know why I loved baseball so much, but all of us had the opportunity to play and we loved it. In St. Cloud we had neighborhood teams. We would get some guys together and play for a quart of A & W Root Beer that we’d buy at Martini’s Grocery on Fourteenth Avenue South. We’d play three-

on-three or four-on-four and you could hit to right field but if you hit it to left you were out, so we got pretty good with the bat. We would play ball all day long.”

American Legion Baseball was the thing in Grand Forks and Schuler played on the only North Dakota team to win a game at the American Legion World Series, finishing fifth in the nation in 1967. His team beat a team from Denver, Colorado, lost to eventual champion Tuscaloosa, Alabama and they were eliminated

by Wilmington, Delaware.

“We probably averaged 55 to 60 games a summer during the Legion season,” said Schuler.

“How can you beat being out in shorts and baseball spikes, getting the pitching machine out and practicing for 3 or 4 hours each day?

There’s a reason we were so good. Marv Skaar was our coach and he was a legend in Grand Forks. He went on to Moorhead State and to NDSU as a basketball coach. He was my high school basketball coach too, but was a great baseball coach. We were fundamentally sound as players and had a great team.”

GARY SCHULER

Schuler didn’t play any varsity basketball until he was a senior, playing JV ball for Joe Ford. His JV team won 48 straight games his sophomore and junior years. As a varsity ball player his senior year Grand Forks Central made it to the state tournament and finished as consolation champions. Schuler scored over 70 points in the three state tournament games, drawing the attention of UND coach Bill Fitch who recruited him over supper at the Bronze Boot in Grand Forks.

After breaking his arm playing Legion ball that summer, Schuler tried playing both basketball and baseball at UND but decided after his freshman year that he would continue playing baseball but gave up his basketball career as he pursued a degree in education. Being an educator was something he had decided on early in his high school days.

“The fate that was dealt to me, luckily, was my ninth grade year in St. Cloud when I was supposed to be taking a German class but wound up in the Spanish class,” said Schuler. “Being as shy as I was, I didn’t dare go to the office and tell them they had made a mistake. I connected very well with my teacher, Mr. Fortier. He had a special knack with

42 SPORTS VIEW JULY / AUGUST 2016

by Craig Olson • Photos provided by Gary Schuler

kids and treated all the kids so well.

He was my basketball coach and my baseball coach so I had him for three different things through the year. He was a big Red Sox fan and I was a big Twins fan so we would have some good discussions about baseball. We had to do a special project in our Spanish class and I decided to do mine on Spanish speaking players in major league baseball.

He’s the one who influenced me to continue pursuing my career as a Spanish teacher. The three rules he lived by were 1) be on time, 2) work your butt off, and 3) be nice to people. He preached that and it didn’t matter who you were he treated you well. He was a great influence on me as I made my decision to be a teacher and a coach.”

Pinky Kraft was the UND baseball coach and he setup a summer employment opportunity that led Schuler to Bowman, North Dakota where he pitched for the Blue Sox amateur baseball team while he was running the summer recreation program.

“Those two years of amateur ball were fun,” said Schuler. “They gave me a little red pickup, they gave me a little house to live in, I could

charge meals uptown, I was treated very well and got to play some pretty good baseball.”

Schuler’s first post-college job was at Kennedy High School in 1970. He had turned down a job in Langdon, North Dakota.

“What got me in was my Spanish,” said Schuler. “They never had Spanish at Kennedy so I started the program. I also taught phy-ed and coached three sports. We were there for two years and then I got the sophomore basketball and head tennis coach positions at Grand Forks Red River. I was coach of the year in North Dakota but it had absolutely

nothing to do with me. We won the state tennis tournament. All I did was get new tennis balls and drive the van. That’s how good those guys were.”

Schuler was at Red River just one year before landing the head boys basketball coaching position at Warren, where he spent 24 years with tremendous success.

“That sophomore class my first year spent their summers playing basketball at the city pool,” said Schuler.

“That’s kind of where I got the idea of ‘A boy, a ball, a basket’ which we adopted as a slogan on a poster we

developed. They made it fun and they were competitive among themselves which made them better ball players. They kind of changed the landscape of Warren basketball. We had great community support and had 18 or 19 years with 20 wins or more.”

In 1977 the Ponies were section runners-up and the Warren wrestlers went to state, inspiring Schuler to challenge his players to up their commitment to reach the next level.

“We vowed at that point to work harder than ever and we took off from there reaching the state tournament in ’79, ’81, ’84 and ’89 and it just became an expectation that we would be in the hunt every year.

The kids bought in and the results were there.”

the school board didn’t want to lose me as a teacher. The politics that came into that deal was strange. I’d probably still be in Warren had I gotten the AD job. Bob Bjorklund had resigned as head basketball coach at Fergus Falls so I applied in July and landed the job. As it turned out it was the best thing that ever happened to us. Change is good.

Starting fresh is good. To be able to come into a great program with a group of kids that were outstanding basketball players was pretty amazing.”

The Otters made it to the state boys basketball tournament under Coach Schuler in 2004. At the end of that season he decided to make the move to Athletic Director.

With their kids grown, Gary and Shawna decided to make a move in 1997.

“I had to make the choice of remaining as AD and giving up the coaching, or going back to the classroom and continuing to coach,” recalled Schuler. “Obviously I loved to coach. Thirty-one years of coaching proves that, but I was ready to go onto the next thing and that was being an AD.”

“I always wanted to be an AD,” said Schuler. “The job opened up at Warren and after the interview I didn’t get the position because, I was told,

Schuler may have coached basketball, but he truly loves all sports and has a real passion for giving kids the opportunity to compete. He has

Warren had two fourth place finishes and two sixth place finishes at the state tournament.

made it a point to get to every home event whenever he is in town, and to attend as many section and state events as possible.

“I made it a priority to get to every event. The job entails some easier days and some hard, long days. I’ve always thought it was important to get to the office by 6:30 every morning and making sure I had my schedule down for the day. An important part of that schedule is making sure that I get to each event. I love watching kids compete and seeing the passion they bring to the competition they are involved in. I’ve been lucky.

I love what I do and I’ve been able to spend many years doing it.”

Sue Thorsen has been Schuler’s Administrative Assistant for nearly his entire time as AD. “Where does a person start,” said Thorsen when asked to share some thoughts about working with Schuler. “Gary Schuler is a classy guy. We have had a great time working together. If I would say anything like ‘Gary is my boss’ I would get scolded. He would say ‘we are a team’. We have shared so many good laughs and tears. Gary always went above and beyond. He would greet students in the morning, on a first name basis. Come lunch time, he was in his glory, visiting with the

GARY SCHULER CAREER RECORD 544-199 OVER 31 YEARS

5 STATE TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES 4 WITH WARREN 1979 (4TH), 1981 (6TH), 1984 (6TH), 1989 (4TH), AND ONE IN FERGUS FALLS 2004.

10 DISTRICT 31

CHAMPIONSHIPS GRAND FORKS CENTRAL

HALL OF FAME MINNESOTA BASKETBALL COACHES

HALL OF FAME MINNESOTA STATE COACHES ASSOCIATION

HALL OF FAME

JULY / AUGUST 2016 SPORTS VIEW 43

GARY SCHULER

by Craig Olson • Photos provided by Gary Schuler

lunch ladies and students. I will miss our morning talks. The best part of all this is getting to know Gary and Shawna and their family. They are good, kind-hearted friends.”

“We read each other pretty well, we’re loyal to one another, I’ve got her back, she’s got mine,” said Schuler of Thorsen. “Her biggest attribute is that she cares, almost to a fault. She’s got a great way with kids and their parents. She’ll go the extra mile to help. She’s a great people person and a very compassionate person. I’m not her boss! We are in this together and it’s been a true pleasure to work with her.”

“Gary is a great friend and mentor for me,” said Fergus Falls Superintendent Jerry Ness. “I will miss our early morning talks about school, sports and family. The Fergus Falls Public Schools and community are very fortunate to have had Gary teach, coach and mentor our students and staff. Often Gary comes to my office and shares when he has a good day or moment. These moments are always about connecting with a student who is struggling and needs his support and encouragement. He give the students sincere compliments and shows he cares.

Gary is so much more than a Hall of Fame coach. He is a Hall of Fame educator. There is no higher honor than to be called ‘teacher and coach’.”

This past May, Schuler was presented with the first ever ‘Arts Advocate’ award by the music department at FFHS. “That was huge for me,” said Schuler. “To know that I was able to have an influence in areas other than athletics is something that means a lot to me. We are so fortunate to have such great advisers in our fine arts department. Our kids in those programs work hard and have had tremendous success.”

Gary and his wife Shawna began dating in high school. He actually had to borrow Coach Skaar’s car for their first date. It turned out to be

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quite memorable as he had a minor fender-bender. They have four children, Trek, who along with his wife Angela and their 11 year old son Andrew live in Maryland where Trek is an athletic trainer in the Baltimore Orioles organization; Tatum, who works for Charles Schwab in Kansas City; daughter Kison lives in Shakopee and her husband, Neil, who is a pilot for United Airlines, along with their three kids, Cannon (10), McCoy (6) and Teague (2). Youngest son, Coley, and his wife Katie

have a daughter Caroline (2) and are expecting a second child in September. They live in Omaha, Nebraska.

In retirement the Schuler’s will definitely make a trip to spring training next March, most likely to the Orioles camp. A cross country train trip with grandkids and kids has been discussed, but most importantly Schuler says, “I want to stay healthy, to spend as much time with my wife and kids and grandkids as possible.

I’m not a golfer, I’ve fished a little

bit, I’m joining the ‘Y’ and I want to do a few things around here.”

What does Gary want people to remember about him? He says, “That I care about kids and that I worked hard, that I truly do listen to what they say and that I treated them as an equal.”

Scholar Athlete > ALEXANDRIA

CARDINALS

Kendall Kohler BASKETBALL - SOCCER - TRACK & FIELD Nickname: KK Grade Point Average: 3.9 Favorite School Subjects: Psychology (and Gym) Notable Academic Accomplishment: Citizenship Award, Academic Gold Awards (7x)

Groups and Organizations: Rise & Shine Tutoring, National Honor Society, Student Council, DECA, FCA I Root For: Florida Gulf Coast University In Ten Years...I’ll Be: Pursuing education to become a pediatrician.

A

lexandria seniors Bethany and Megan Hasz are the Shoremaster Athletes of the Year for High School Sports View Magazine.

Their senior years put an exclamation mark on their running careers for the Cardinals In the fall of 2015, Bethany won the Class AA State Cross Country title and Megan was runner-up. The previous fall, Megan was the champion and Bethany was runnerup. Bethany also claimed the title in 2013 as a sophomore.

At the Class AA State Track and Field meet in June Bethany won the 1600 meter run and Megan was runner-up with both girls turning in personal best times in that event.

In the 3200 meter run, Megan was second and Bethany third with just .65 hundredths of a second separating the sisters. Bethany won both races as a junior and Megan missed out on participating in the state meet in 2015, although she had qualified for the 3200, due to a stress reaction in her shin.

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“My experience on the Alexandria cross country and track teams the last few years has been amazing,” said Megan. “I’m so thankful for all of the teammates that I’ve had, it’s always been a fun group of people to be around every day. The coaches are absolutely incredible and have helped me learn and develop as a runner. Having Bethany with me for any experience, whether it’s training or racing, makes it that much better. Not only have I gotten to celebrate my success, but my best friend’s as well.”

Megan pointed to the 2014 state cross country title as the race that stands out in her career saying, “Everything just fell into place that day and I was able to win and get the course record.”

The twins have both committed to the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities, where they will run cross country along with indoor and outdoor track.

Bethany concurred with her sister, saying, “It has been such an amazing experience. Our coaches and teams have become like a second family and it’s sad leaving that behind, even though I’m very excited to run at the U of M next year. It’s so much fun having Megan to train with and to share all of our successes with.

She’s the best sister/training partner/teammate I could’ve ever asked for.”

Bethany said her two state titles in cross country and competing in the Nike Cross Nationals stand out as her most memorable races.

Congratulations to the Hasz sisters on being named the Shoremaster Athletes of the Year and all of us associated with High School Sports View Magazine wish them the best as they join the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers