Excitement for the 2013-’14 Season Grows

With substantial experi-

ence and good size return-

ing for the Eskomos, the

coaching staff is very ex-

cited to get the season go-

ing. Coming off a 27-6

season we look to a team

that will return 3 starters

and 8 letter winners from

last year’s Region 7AA

Championship team. We

saw constant improvement

and played some very ex-

citing basketball and fin-

ished the Polar League

with a 11-0 record and

claimed our 44rd Champi-

onship. We are coming off

a season in which our team

came together and played

very tough down the

stretch.

We are very excit-

ed about the players we

have returning. We have

some good size and height

and experience. The loss of

Ben Hanson, Mac

McComber and Bobby

Wright will leave some

major gaps to be filled but

the talent pool is solid. We

had a very intense summer

of games and scrimmages.

Players from grades 10-12

will be in the varsity mix.

Shane Deadrick

will remain as head assis-

tant on the varsity. Shane

has won over 200 games at

the college level and brings

a wealth of knowledge to

the table. Mike Bottila

will remain as our fresh-

man program and provides

long-term stability at that position. Last year’s fresh-

man team made tremen-

dous improvements over

the course of the season.

Former Eskomo standout,

Gavin Erickson did an

outstanding job last season

(25-1) and will continue as

our JV coach. The staff

we have put together is as

good as it gets. There is no

doubt we have the best coaching staff in the state.

If you do not believe me,

ask some of the coaches

we play against. No school

can demonstrate the com-

mitment that our junior

high and elementary

coaches make to our pro-

gram. We have, what I

believe, are the ingredients

for success for many years to come. It was extremely

important for our team to

improve their skills this

past summer and from all

indications they did just

that. As the players have

been told, ”Teams are

made from November to

March; players are made

from March to November”.

The coaching

staff would like to congrat-

ulate the players on a fine

summer of work and again

thank the Hoops Club for

their great effort to help

improve our basketball

program. We would also

like to thank the parents,

faculty and community

members for their support

of Esko basketball. We

look forward to a great

2013-’14 basketball sea-

son.

Coach Devney

The All Important “Role Player” We can't all be super-stars,

or even starters. We don't all

have great shooting skills or ball-handling skills. But we

can still be important "spokes in the wheel". We can still be very important to the success

of our team. We are important "role players". Coaches love

good role players, because they know better than anyone

that there will be times in a

game, or during the season, that they will have to get good

play, some good minutes from their bench personnel. Usual-

ly, you cannot be a champion-ship team with just five good players. You need important

players who can come off the bench and play quality

minutes. The role player hus-tles in practice and works

hard. He is not a complainer

(about playing time). Rather, he has a

positive attitude, encourages his teammates, and under-

stands his importance to the team, and the importance of his contributions. He realizes

that "his time will come". This really takes a special person;

because most of us want to be starters... it takes great maturi-

ty to be a good role player.

Volume 3, Issue 3

November 2013

Esko Basketball

MN Rankings 2

Team Unity 2

Tyler Korby 2

Thoughts 3

Jaxson Turner 3

Captains 4

I believe 4

Special points of in-terest: Role players

AA Rankings

Team Unity

Player profile

Thoughts form Players

and Coaches

Hoops Club

You were born to be a player. You were meant to be here. This mo-ment is yours.” – Herb Brooks

around Staniger and fellow senior team-mates — and close friends — Kory Deadrick and Marc Peterson. The trio is tremendous in action, scoring in bunches. "I think they averaged 60 points per game together,” said 15th-year Esko Coach Mike Devney. “All three of them love playing basketball. They’ve been pretty rock solid for us.”For the rest of the team, however, it’s been tough. At last week’s practice, eight players — many of whom played football — sat side-lined with nagging injuries as the basketball season gets underway two weeks earlier than normal. "There's not much time to recover,” said Jaxson Turner, a football defensive back and basketball guard, who just re-turned Monday from his pulled groin mus-cle.Peterson, the school’s quarterback in the fall and point guard come winter, said the

ESKO — As an avid basketball player, Casey Staniger has suffered pain, but perhaps the most painful time came when he crutched out of the Target Center last March. "I've gone through some injuries before, but the fact that it was down there — it was just was difficult,” said Staniger, who sprained his right ankle and couldn’t continue in Esko’s 72-47 defeat to Litchfield in the Class AA boys basketball state semifinals last year in Minneapolis. “I felt helpless. "The senior shooting sensation is anything but helpless, as Staniger and his Eskomos teammates tear into the boys basketball season ranked, rated and previewed as one of Minnesota’s premiere small-school programs this winter. Winning their way to their school’s first state tournament since 2003 last year, Esko finished 27-6 and in fourth place, revolving

team is fine and ready to roll. "We have a big target on our back this year,” he said. “We’ll be getting everyone’s best shot.”Deadrick, a forward and the team’s top scorer, agreed, noting last season’s expe-rience fuels this year’s mission. "We're going to take it one game at a time,” said Deadrick, “but our dream is to win it — so we’re going to do everything we can to pre-pare to get there and have a shot.”Devney was quick to dismiss the preseason hype, where some state polls have his Eskomos ranked as high as No. 2.“[The boys] can’t look ahead or lose their focus,” he said. In addition to the big three, Turner — who sent Esko to State on his buzzer-beater over Mora last March — Nate Johnson and Aa-ron Olson will help aid a 10-player rotation. "Everybody has to do the dirty work,” Peter-son said.

Page 2

Big three bring hope to Esko Tyler Korby– Pine Journal

Esko Basketball

team. Most were more happy for their

teammates successes than their own

triumphs. Individuals on those teams

had no jealousy and would embrace

the role they were assigned. It takes a

level of maturity, that not a lot of teen-

agers have, to put all team goals first.

In the end, a team fails or succeeds

together. The best way to serve the

individuals on the team is to see that

the whole team wins. We all have

some level of self-interest in high

school sports and finding your inner

passion is very important. The most

important thing is your level of selfless-

ness towards your teammates. Do that,

and dreams can come true for every-

one. Even when you've played the

game of your life, it's the feeling of

teamwork that you'll remember. You'll

forget the sets we ran, the scores of

games, and the stats, but you'll never

forget your teammates. Remember that

nothing is more important than togeth-

erness and team unity.

Team Unity Coach Devney

After coaching for twenty-nine years, at

a variety of levels, I have come to one

undeniable truth about basketball and

team sports in general; the most im-

portant ingredient to success is team

unity. The teams that I have coached

that were most successful and the

greatest joy to coach were the teams

that truly cared for each other. They

had each other’s back at all times.

Players on those teams would sacrifice

themselves for the betterment of the

Minnesota Boys' High School Preseason Basketball Rankings

The Minnesota boys' high school basketball rankings, as provided by Minnesota Basket-ball News, a statewide basketball publica-tion. WEDNESDAY NOV 20, 2013

Class 2A

1. Esko

2. Perham

3. Braham

4. Fairmont

5. Minnehaha Academy

6. Breck

7. Plainview-Elgin-Millville

8. Rochester Lourdes

9. Pelican Rapids

10. Annandale

Believe

or The Man Who Thinks He Can

If you think you are beaten, you are;

If you think you dare not, you don't.

If you'd like to win, but think you can't,

It's almost a cinch you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost,

For out in the world we find

Success begins with a fellows will;

It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you're outclassed, you are;

You've got to think high to rise.

You've got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go

To the stronger or faster man;

But soon or late the man who wins

Is the one who thinks he can.

We’re on the Web! Check out Esko Basket-ball Records and previ-

ous Esko Basketball Newsletters on the Esko

school website under Athletics/Hoops Club.

Esko fans are crazy for Esko Basketball!

Volume 3, Issue 3

Toughness is a skill and can be prac-ticed and improved like all other skills.

“You should always want your coach to be critical. It gives you an oppor-tunity to learn and to overcome ad-versity.” Steve Nash

The more things you can do, the hard-er you are to keep out of the lineup.

You either get better or we get worse. You don’t stay the same, so we have to use every practice and workout to get better.

Concentrate on effort and execution; the results will take care of them-selves.

Proper form and a strong work ethic plus preparation and repetition is the formula that makes a great shooter.

No excuses, no explanations. Good teams and players give second

efforts, great teams give 3rd, 4th, and 5th efforts.

The only way for an individual to im-prove is to work at an uncomforta-ble pace in practice and during the improvement season (April-September) If you aren’t uncom-fortable, chances are you aren’t improving.

Contact from the defense is never an excuse to lose the ball.

“There is do and do not, there is no try.” Yoda in Star Wars

“The game honors toughness.” Brad Stevens

Expect to get hit hard when you take the ball to the basket. Don’t get upset. The best revenge is mak-ing the free throws.

A player’s goal every practice and every improvement season skill workout should be to improve yourself for the benefit of the team.

Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.

"Don't mistake routine for commit-ment." Tommy Amaker. Don't just show up, but give it everything you've got, every single time.

Fouling negates hustle. “Anyone who doesn’t make mistakes

isn’t working hard enough.” There are two pains in life, the pain of

discipline, and the pain of regret. Take your choice.

Your energy level is controlled by your thoughts.

We rate ability in people by what they finish, not what they start.

Jaxson Turner

Playing number: 1 Year in school: Sophomore Playing Position: Point Guard Favorite Food: Fried Chicken Favorite Music/Musician: Rocky Diamonds Favorite Sports Team: Ohio State Favorite Thing about Esko: The supportive community! Favorite thing about Esko basketball: The bus rides and team bonding Favorite memory of Esko basketball: Hitting the 3 to go to state

Something people don’t know about me: I always like to make sure my clothes match every day. Best Experience so far: Making it to State last year Where do I see myself in 5 years: Attending college and majoring in business Advice for young Eskomo basketball players: Enjoy the moment!

Thoughts from Players and Coaches on Basketball

Page 3

"A tough day at the office is even tougher when your OFFICE contains spectator seating."

- Nik Posa

Flashback to our win over Hayfield in the state quarterfinals. "Let others lead small lives, but not you.

Let others argue over small things, but not

you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not

you. Let others leave their future in someone

else's hands, but not you." Jim Rohn

I Believe…..Author Unknown That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the

best time!

I believe- That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're

down, will be the ones to help

you get back up.

I believe- That maturity has more to do

with what types of experiences

you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do

with how many birthdays you've

celebrated.

I believe- That our background and cir-

cumstances may have influenced

I believe-

That you can keep going long

after you can't.

I believe-

That we are responsible for

what we do, no matter how we

feel.

I believe- That either you control your atti-

tude or it controls you.

I believe-

That heroes are the people who

do what has to be done when it

needs to be done, regardless of

the consequences.

I believe- That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe-

who we are, but we are responsi-

ble for who we become.

I believe- That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change

your life forever.

I believe- That two people can look at the exact same thing and see some-

thing totally different.

I believe- That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who

don't even know you.

I believe- That even when you think you

have no more to give, when a

friend cries out to you - you will

find the strength to help.

"Winning is overemphasized. The only time it is really important is in surgery and war." -Al McGuire “There are only two options regarding commitment.

You’re either IN or you’re OUT. There is no such thing as life in-between.” – Pat Riley

Esko Basketball The coaches and staff at

Esko High School

would like to thank you for

your readership and your

continued support of our

basketball program and our

school.

We are always looking to

improve our program, so if

you have any comments,

questions, or suggestions,

please let us know!

We believe that there is no

secret in the coaching

profession. If you would like

more information about

what’s presented in this

newsletter or you have a

question about another

aspect of the game, please

feel free to ask! We’re more

than happy to help.

Thanks again for your support.

Sincerely,

Coach Devney

THE ESKO HOOPS

CLUB

WILL MEET AT ESKO

HIGH SCHOOL,

The 3rd Sunday of each

month AT 7:00PM IN

ROOM s100.

All parents of Esko basetball

players, community members,

faculty, staff and interested par-

ties are encouraged to attend.

Topics for discussion will in-

clude: merchandise sales, game

promotions and direction of the

Hoops Club. Parents of all

players are ask to be there as all

money raised goes directly back

to the Esko basketball program

at all levels.

2013-’14 Boy’s Basketball team captains, Marc Peterson, Kory Deadrick and Casey Staniger.

WORK ETHIC AND WORK HABITS In the short run, we may be able to go for the ―”quick fix”

with apparent success. We can make impressions, we can put on charm, and we can con other people. We can learn

manipulation techniques – what lever to pull, what button to

push to get the desired reaction. But long term, the Law of

the Farm governs in all areas of life, and there is no way to

fake the harvest.

―THERE COMES A TIME WHEN WINTER ASKS

WHAT YOU HAVE DONE ALL SUMMER?

…………..HENRY CLAY