Neenah Girls Basketball Club
2013-14 Annual Report
2013-14 Neenah Girls Basketball Club end of year Annual Report
Another year of continuous improvement- This statement can be used to describe all aspects of Neenah Girls Basketball this past season. From our entry level 3rd grade team through our high school program,our teams made continuous improvement throughout the 2013-14basketball campaign. Through the efforts of all of the volunteer coaches and supportive families, our youth teams grew as individuals, basketball players,and as team members. All levels were competitive throughout the season,representing our Club, the Neenah School District, and our Community positively. We continue to receive positive feedback from other communities that our teams are respectful and demonstrate outstanding sportsmanship. Feedback like this instills a long-standing mantra for Neenah athletics- Neenah with Pride. Following are some highlights from each grade level this past year
Grade 3- Nate Kok (Head Coach)
The 3rd grade girls began the season with varying exposure to the game and while they werelearning to play with one another for the first time, struggled against the likes of Kimberly and AppletonWest in early tournament play.
The girls were undeterred and workedvery hard in practice to improve basic fundamentals while being introducedto the conceptsof triple-threat, motion-offense andman-to-man help defense.Through the course of the year,turnoversdiminished along with points given up, skinned knees increasedalong with loose balls gained andconfidence began to thrivewhile their intensity grew.
This all lead to a steady progression in performance during tournament play, and culminated with 2 undefeated tournament championships at Appleton North and Oshkosh North, where the teams avenged early season losses and proved they made larger strides during the year than most of the other 'win now focused' FVA programs. Certainly the four coaches were genuinely proud of the hard-work put forth by all of the Neenah girls throughout the year and the way they conducted themselves on and off the court.
Grade 4- Bob Mellenthin (Head Coach)
I would say our season was all about learning the little things. For most of the girls it was their first experience with basketball. We spent a lot of time on rules, teaching the girls how to line up on the court, a lot of dribbling and passing. Along with trying to teach them a few plays.
It was a struggle for us at times throughout the year since we only had 10 girls and usually a coach or two had to jump in during practices but we had a lot of FUN with them.The girls worked extremely hard all year in practices and games. We started out not very competitive as we were just starting out but as the girls went along we became competitive in almost all of our games in the last 2 tournaments and won a game in the last tournament. Of course that win came when I wasn’t there so Henry gets all the credit there.
I think I can speak for the coaches, parents and everybody that helped us during the year that these girls improved so much during the course of the season. The wins and losses may have not reflected it but in the end its about getting these young ladies to learn the game and hopefully someday play for Coach B.
Grade 5- Greg Schroeder (Co- Head Coach)
The 5th grade girls saw a tremendous increase in participants this year vs. the prior year, growing from 16 to 31 players, one of the largest in the Neenah Girls Hoops program. With a coaching staff of (7) dedicated individuals, the team focused heavily on the fundamentals of the game throughout the season while working to create practice schedules conducive to such a large team.
The development of the girls throughout the season was tremendous. We started to get more W’s as the season progressed and were in medal contention in several tournaments. Part of the team represented the 5th grade in a year end tournament in the WI Dells and was competitive throughout. Many of the girls were looking for more opportunities in the off season to continue to improve their game, which bodes well for the future of this class given the numbers we have, the desire to improve, and the willingness to put in the work in the offseason!
6th Grade- Jodi Hobbs (Head Coach)
The 6th grade team has made many improvements this season. We had at least one win in almost every tournament we played, but lost in several consolation bracket championships. Highlights include placing 2nd in the St. Mary's Central tournament and taking 3rd in the Omro tournament. Overall, we played in 9 tournaments, including the state tournament.
What we may have lacked in numbers, was made up for in heart, with many floor burns and bruises to show for their effort. We are very proud of the girls for the effort they gave, and the improvements each one of them have made over the course of the season. More importantly, it was exciting to see how the girls have grown as teammates, and the bond this group has developed with each other. We encourage the girls to work hard in the off season to continue to grow as players, and look forward to getting back on the court next fall.
7th Grade- Kraig Lee (Head Coach)
The 7th grade team continued the process of improving throughout our season. 25 players started the year with this grade, which allowed us to create 3 teams from this group of talented and highly competitive girls. Skills improvement and continuing to learn the fine details of our offense and defense were points of emphasis during practices and we felt the results spoke for themselves. The girls were competitive in every tournament we entered, placing 2nd in Neenah, 3rd in Oshkosh West, 2nd in Player's Choice, 2nd in Markesan, 4th in Fond du Lac and 4th in Homestead.
Our tournament season was capped off by competing in the WSICT State Tournament in Wausau. The group of girls who went to this tournament laid it all on the line physically, mentally and emotionally. They not only competed with the powerhouse programs throughout the state, they beat most of them and proudly took home an overall 4th place medal. Their showing not only caused the other programs to sit up and take notice of our girls, but it also announced that the Neenah Rockets basketball team is not only ready to compete with them, but we are also a real threat to beat them on any given day.
As coaches, we saw every single girl in this grade improve her skills. Not only did they improve during the season, but we saw that every girl who showed up to the first practice back in September had improved over the summer.
More important than skill improvement or winning medals in tournaments is the tight-knit bond these girls have with each other. If one team of girls was playing on a day where another team wasn't, we would often see these girls in the stands cheering for their teammates. The character, integrity, drive and heart of this group of girls is something that every parent should be very proud of.
Going forward, we hope to see all these girls participating in the summer offerings and take the opportunity to improve even more in the off season!
8th Grade- Greg Ebel (Head Coach)
The eight grade team continued to grow as a team and as individuals in their skill set as players. We returned 9 girls from the previous year and added 2 primary ball handlers which contributed to the team right out of the gate. We found early success as a team by placing in tournaments in the first half of the season. Our lack of height and size on the court was overcome by our heart and desire to compete. We introduced the zone defense this year which the ladies really took to, and was used against teams where were outsized. Throughout the year we and continuing to work on offensive sets and defensive fundamentals. As players we continued to work heavily on ball handling and creating opportunities for our teammates on the court.
Our season highlights were performance in tournaments in the first half of the season, and seeing players really step up and become better all-around athletes. After the break for school ball, it seemed like we could never regain the momentum we built in the first half of the season, but our girls battled none the less. The recognition in the 2ndhalf of the season often did not show up in wins and placing, but was through feedback from game refs and opposing coaches in compliments on how our girls never gave up, battled, and hustled to the final buzzer.
As coaches, we are both very proud of these young ladies; they play with heart, wear their emotions on their sleeves, and have really developed as young ladies carrying themselves with respect and class. Our girls represent the quality of individuals our club should be proud of, and represent Neenah by modeling what it means to be a Neenah Rocket student athlete. It has been an honor to work with them, watch them grow, develop as players, and become young ladies.
We are excited to see what their future will bring on and off the court as they take the next step in their lives into the high school years and beyond.
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Looking forward, our program has tremendous potential for continued success. The Clubteams have demonstrated the skills and commitment to continuous improvement which will keep the girls basketball program competitivein the Fox Valley for many years to come.
This past year, the Neenah Girls Basketball Club (“NGBC”) was in a financial position to assist with several key projects. Following are some of the highlights:
*Jerseys for the middle school and hoops
*Item of the year – practice jersey
*High school uniforms & bags
* Website upgrade
*Facility upgrades
*Post Secondary Education Scholarship
Other various expenses- Other annual expenses our club supported this past year included, but was not limited to; Team building events (all levels), assistant coaches stipends, website operations, bus upgrades (Varsity team), and various tournament-related expenses.
Each year the NGBC strives to offer for girls interested in the sport of basketball an opportunity to participate in a competitive program, which will both challenge and improve their skills as an individual and as a member of a team. In order to accomplish the mission of the NGBC, we focus on 3- 4 fundraisers each year. Following are the primary fundraisers the club has engaged in this past year:
6th Grade State Tournament- As a primary host for this weekend event, we use both of the NHS facilities. This is a significant source of fundraising for our club. This two-day event requires the participation of all families involved in Neenah Girls Basketball. Additionally, we call on members of the community and school to support our efforts. This past year was the NGBC's 5th year as host. The event has grown each year.
Youth Tournament- This year the Club held (2) one-day tournaments. This event is the second largest fundraising event each year. Primary support from youth families with additional support from the HS families helps make this tournament a success.
Poinsettia Sale- A joint fundraising event with the Boys Basketball Club. Each player in the program is encouraged to sell a minimum of (6) plant during the Holiday season. This past year the club offered an incentive to top sellers. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd highest sellers were awarded cash prizes.
United Community Fundraising- This past year NGBC partnered with United Communityfundraising, to add an additional method to raise funds for the program. United Community works with local businesses to donate percentages of monies spent at their establishments back to our club. By registering your credit/ debit card and patronizing these local businesses, you not only support the local economy, but NGBC as well. In our inaugural year, NGBC receivedclose to $200 in funding from this program in our first (3) months. To date, twenty- eight members of our club have registered for this program. It is our hope that this initiative grows into a primary source of revenue for our organization.
JV/ Varsity Summer Tournament- This two-day tournament is hosted by the high school families with support from the youth families.
In conclusion, the 2012-13 season ends with the expectation of continued improvement through the summer, fall and into the 2014-15 basketball season. On behalf of the Neenah Girls Basketball Club’s Board of Directors, I would like to thank all the coaches, parents and players for helping make this past year a success.
Additionally, I would like to recognize the Board of Directors for their consistent leadership and commitment to continued success of Neenah Girls Basketball.
Go Rockets,
Marty Etteldorf, President
Neenah Girls Basketball Club, Inc.