2008 E. WAYNE COOLEY “YOU CAN” AWARD BASKETBALL WINNERS 

COACHES: 

Jason Armstrong   Clarinda Academy

Students come from all over the United States to Clarinda Academy, a school for troubled youth.  In many ways this may be the last chance for these young people to receive an education.  Jason continually works with a transient roster, with players coming and going, season-by-season and even month-by-month.  Many of Jason's players have little basketball background yet he gets them organized enough to go out and play.  They have not had a lot of success in terms of winning games, but success here is measured in giving these young ladies the chance to compete, to work together, to learn discipline, and to deal with adversity in a positive way.  With such a difficult set of factors to work with, Coach Armstrong has made a positive influence on these young ladies lives.

Nominated by Brian Bertini     Head Girls' Basketball Coach  @  East Miles

Holly Mohs      Valley of Elgin High School

Coach Mohs has done a great job of building the success of the Valley girls program.  Her teams are always well prepared and they play the game with great desire and determination.  With several starters returning from a 20-3, team the sky is the limit for the Valley program.

Nominated by Virgil Hovden   Dunkerton Girls Basketball Coach

 Brandon Frohwein       N.E. Hamilton

Since joining the Iowa Star conference four years ago this program has been on the way back up.  No matter what talent level his team has, you can always count on a competitive game with his teams well prepared.   With several returning starters and letter winners back for next season, Coach Frohwein will continue the improvement of this program.   

Nominated by Virgil Hovden   Dunkerton Girls Basketball Coach

 Nic Belloma        Centerville High School

Nic took over the program four years ago as a first-time head coach.  Prior to his arrival, Centerville had only two winning seasons in 5 player era.  This year the Redettes were co-champs of the South Central Conference.  Since the 04-05 season Centerville has a record of 59-30. Nic has a terrific relationship with his players and fellow coaches.  His players know what to expect and he has a genuine caring for all members of his team.  Coach Belloma exemplifies character; he does the right thing, even when no one is looking.

Nominated by   Mike O'Connor      KMGO-KCOG  Radio   Centerville 

ATHLETES:

Kelsi Guinn     Moulton-Udell

Kelsi is a great example of a team player.  She wants to find the open teammate and understands what her responsibilities are as a point guard of our team.  She had a great season for us.

 Sharena Kaster     Moulton-Udell

Sharena was our 6th player and when she came into the game she understood what was expected of her.  She is willing to do the little things that aren't recognized in the statistics.

 Kaylee Stansberry     Moulton-Udell

Kaylee had a great year.  She was aggressive with the ball and got to the rim.  She improved her overall game from last year and when she finally cracked our starting lineup she never gave the job up.

 Nominated by  Jason Ogden      Girls Basketball Coach  Moulton-Udell

Kiley Belland     Williamsburg

Kiley tore her ACL in the last regular season game last year.  She had to miss our post season play as well as sit out all spring and summer from basketball, volleyball, and softball.  She worked hard to rehab and was back on the court for the volleyball season.  Kiley started the first eight games of the basketball season this year but had to have a scope done to repair some cartilage damage in the same knee.  She was out four weeks but was determined to finish the basketball season, and with her return she helped us reach the state tournament for the second time in three years.  Kiley is a great kid who is fun to have on our basketball team and I'm proud of the way she has responded to the adversity she has faced.

 Nominated by   Aaron Fedderson   Williamsburg Girls Basketball Coach

 Becky  Jahde    East Mills High School

Becky was a member of the first East Miles Lady Wolverine basketball team.  This is a new school of whole grade sharing of former schools Malvern and Nishna Valley.  She is a senior who had previously played 3 years for Malvern.  Her role and importance lay not so much on the court regarding playing time, but in her attitude, effort, and off-the court contributions.   Her biggest and most important role came in her comforting and compassion for her teammates during a very difficult time this season.  Near the end of the season, a young classmate and friend of the girls team was seriously injured in a car accident.  She was in a coma for a week and on life support.  Becky was one of the players who were constantly checking on her teammates to make sure they were doing okay with this tragic situation.  Becky accompanied the JV team to a tournament to help with scorekeeping when word came about the passing of their friend.  Becky was there for the JV girls helping comfort and console in the loss of a classmate.  She was there when they needed it most, and, Becky understood her role and importance in helping the healing.   Exhibiting such qualities of compassion, teamwork, caring, and dedication, make Becky Jahde a true example of the YOU CAN AWARD.

Nominated by  Brian Bertini  Girls Basketball Coach  East Mills

Whitney Plein    Burlington High School

Whitney has participated in numerous varsity sports and has lettered in all of them while at Burlington High School.  She is probably the most involved student-athlete that I have ever coached in the past 20 years.  She is recognized as one of the leaders on the class of 2008.

Nominated by Mark Miller     Girls Basketball Coach  Burlington High School

Kristi Branham     Highland High School

Kristi has been a member of the Highland girl's basketball team for four years and has been the motivator of the team.  In the ‘07 season Kristi went to the doctor and was diagnosed with shin splints in middle of January.  The shin was wrapped but the pain kept getting worse.  She finished the season in an overtime loss in the state tournament scoring 21 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.  The following Monday she went back to the doctor to get an MRI done and to find out her shin splint was a hairline fracture in her shin.  She also battled this problem some during the ’08 season as well.  Her  shear grit and determination  is very respected by all of her teammates.  She is  a leader by example and a motivator by words.  She is the main reason why the Highland girls program has continued to grow during her four years.

Rebecca Lampe      Highland  High School

Rebecca Lampe is a leader by example.  She is not one to raise her voice to her teammates but she would rather motivate by doing.  She is also very respected by her teammates.  She takes the responsibility for things that go wrong even though they may not have been her fault just to take pressure off the younger players on the team. Rebecca is a great asset to team unity and has been another reason for the success of the Highland girls programs over the past four years.

 Nominated by  Jody Fink    Girls Basketball Coach   Highland  High School

Kelsey VanDeer   Adair-Casey High School

Kelsey was off to a great start this season for the first four games.  In December her dad was taken to the hospital for a rare disease and has been in a coma ever since.   This has had a great impact on her and has taken its toll both physically and emotionally.  Despite all the adversity Kelsey continues to be vital part of our team.  She continues to work hard in practice and provides a spark coming off the bench in games.  Kelsey spends countless hours at the hospital, but still excels in the classroom and makes it to practices.

Nominated by   Cory Bartz   Girls Basketball Coach  Adair-Casey

Jordan Verdi      Davenport Assumption

Jordan tore her ACL in the 8th grade and fought hard through rehab to get back into playing shape.  It was not very long after she was cleared to play that she tore it again.  She overcame two surgeries, missed almost two complete seasons and finally this year she has appeared in almost every game for us this year.

Nominated by  Todd Borrison   Girls Basketball Coach   Davenport Assumptio

Hayley  Vance     Ankeny

Early in her junior year Hayley suffered a torn ACL.  As she has done in the classroom (4.0 GPA), Hayley worked above and beyond in her rehab without complaint.  Within 5 months she was competing on the track team.  Hayley progressed to the point where this past summer she could play multiple games in a day.  Her hard work paid off with a successful cross country season and she was ready for the basketball season.  Suddenly, something was wrong and problems persisted with her knee.  Because of problems with the surgery, her repaired ligament did not hold and she was looking at another operation just 3 games into the season.  Hayley was not bitter,  and did not blame anyone, or feel sorry for herself.  She underwent her second surgery, continued to support her teammates, and was faithful to her rehab.  In today's  "I" world, Hayley is all about "we". She earned the utmost respect from her teammates and coaches and continues to be a person we look to for inspiration.  Hayley Vance competed in the true spirit of YOU CAN!!

 Nominated by Scott DeJong   Girls basketball coach  Ankeny High School

Ankeny Hawkette Seniors:    Cathleen Andresen,  Alissa Clapper,  Brittany DeJong, Dani Lang, Lindsey Schlegal, and Hayley Vance. 

These young ladies have experienced all the highs and lows of athletic competition.  They faced the unusual task of following a class that won 4 straight championships.  They have learned lessons of life, some good, some bad. I am the most proud of how they conducted themselves in their journey the past 3 years; with class and dignity.  Last year they had a 12-12 season; rather than listening to all the reasons why they can't, they said WE CAN and rebounded with a record of 19-3 this season.  More important than the accomplishments on the playing floor, are the relationships and lives they have touched the past years.  They are great students, teammates, daughters, and representatives of our community.  This group will certainly have a special place in my heart and I wish them nothing but the best.

Nominated by  Scott DeJong   Girls basketball coach Ankeny High School

 Megan Joens     Dunkerton High School

Megan Joens is always on the go.  She is a four sport athlete.  When she graduates from Dunkerton she will have earned 16 varsity letters in athletics.  Megan is ranked number one in her class with a perfect (4.0 GPA).  No matter what it is that we have needed the last four years in basketball, i.e. big rebound, big steal, great defense, Megan has been the one we have looked for.  She does all of this with asthma which at times has made all of this very difficult.  Megan is the type of person that I would have to KEEP from doing things because she would have a tendency to go to far! I am very lucky to have coached Megan Joens and I know she will be a success in the future.

 Nominated  by  Virgil Hovden  Dunkerton Girls  Basketball Coach

Ashley Kimball     Dunkerton

Late in the season last year Ashley started to have troubles with a sore hip. She got through the season, but then she found out that she would need surgery to correct a growth problem in the hip/joint area.  This meant she was looking at an entire summer of rehab, which would mean no softball, volleyball or any summer basketball.  It was a very long and painful summer for Ashley, but her YOU CAN spirit really carried her through the tough times.  She was released in late September and she started her long journey to get ready for the upcoming basketball season.  By November she was ready, but still had some soreness and pain which she battled through without a complaint! Her desire and commitment to be ready for the basketball season only shows a small part of her great character.  She is a 4.0 student which ranks her number 1 in her class.  No matter what life throws at Ashley she will succeed.

Nominated by  Virgil Hovden    Girls Basketball Coach Dunkerton High School

April Jacobsen     Dunkerton High School

Everybody should get to work with an April Jacobsen in their coaching career......what a gem.  She may be the strongest person I have ever had the opportunity to meet.  I do not mean in physical strength but emotionally and spiritually.  April just knows who she is and what she desires to accomplish.  She has played every position on the court for us at one time or another.  You will not find her at the top of any of our statistical categories, but NOBODY made bigger plays for us on our run to the state tournament then she did.  If we needed a big shot, or rebound, or steal, April would get it done.  As coaches we called her the "the glue" because we felt she helped us hold it all together more than a few times.  I know April will succeed because of her ability to deal with life.

Nominated  by  Virgil Hovden  Girls Basketball Coach  Dunkerton High School