Thank You Students and Coaches!
Throughout the past few years my family has had the opportunity to attend various MLHS games and activities. My husband, Phil, is part of the “Chain Gang” for varsity football games, moving the markers up and down the field. Our kids, 11 and 10 years of age, and I attend every home varsity football game. We also enjoyed watching varsity basketball and volleyball games, cheering on family friends. This year we have watched a few band concerts as well. I try to have a positive outlook on life in general, Maple Lake sports and activities included. My takeaway these last few years of watching Maple Lake High School sports is simply… thank You. The scoreboard at the end of the game has been tough to swallow sometimes but Thank you. Thank you to the students who stayed out for a sport even when their team wasn’t doing well. Thank you for displaying good sportsmanship even when you are down. Thank you for showing your love and enthusiasm for the game. Thank you for working hard to improve throughout the season… you did! Thank you to the coaches for staying positive, celebrating the little victories, and for continuing even when confronted with an uphill battle. All of your efforts are noticed and not just by adults. My children notice when “the big kids” are having fun as a team…. They can see themselves in you with their own classmates. They notice when “the big kids” improve, they in turn want to work harder as well. The Maple Lake Community has a great group of elementary students at MLE and St. Tims, and they are watching. I firmly believe that because of the positive attitudes of students and coaches there are a lot of younger students who WANT to be involved! They WANT to be on the team and in the activity. I say thank you, because without the enthusiasm and dedication of students and coaches the children of Maple Lake might not have activities to participate in when they enter MLHS. That may seem like a far-fetched statement, but in reality, it isn’t. Nick Lind, 2024 MLHS senior, made it to State in cross- country this year and last year. I am going to date myself, but my senior year saw cross-country reinstated at MLHS in 2001, the program had disappeared in the 80s. We may not have set any records that year, but we had fun and worked hard, and because of the dedication of coaches, Ben Youngs and J McClelland, combined with the enthusiasm of students continuing to go out for the sport, Nick had a team to run with and experienced going to State! Thank sou to the students and coaches!
In 2022 Anna McClelland, Greta Brown, Calli Hadler, Jordana Jude and Sami Hayes all made it to State in speech. In 1999 Eric Meyer re-started the speech team, it had been discontinued in 1995. The team didn’t start with many, and we didn’t make it far right away… but due to the enthusiasm and dedication of students and coaches, the girls experienced State, and today the program has expanded to include elementary students, our own daughter included. Thank you to the students and coaches! Throughout the past several years there have been countless students and teams make it to State and True Team in track. Our niece Emily Rasset was part of the Girls 2018 Class A State True Team Championship Team. That year several of her teammates, Ava Mergen, Grace Heying, Ella Kiebel, Katie Fobbe, Sophie Pribyl and the Millers headed to State among many others. There are so many track success stories they can’t all be named. The 1995-1996 season saw Ben Youngs take over as head coach of a barely there MLHS track team. Again, coaches with enthusiasm and positive attitudes won out as countless students went out for the team. As seniors in 2002 we celebrated placing third at sub-sections when we were slated to be sixth! But the real celebration has been seeing Emily, Grace, Ella, Katie, Sophie, the Millers and all the other students have fun and succeed year after year. The program is now introducing younger students to a real live track meet experience, our children loved it! Thank you to the students and coaches!
I could go on with the positive experiences of other sports and activities, but I will conclude with football and boys basketball. I was a football cheerleader in high school, more so because I was screaming so loud in the stands that it was better for me to be loud on the field cheering! We had some pretty good teams while Phil and I were in High School, Phil’s senior year they almost made it to State in football, and my senior year we had a great Football season. Our friend Brian Peterson was part of the boys basketball team that DID made it to State in 1998! It was so exciting for the community! 2014 my cousin Ben Elfmann played on the Maple Lake football team that made it to State! It was a great experience for so many young men. The last few years Maple Lake has seen some difficult football and basketball seasons, but thanks to the dedication and positive outlook of coaches combined with the enthusiasm of current students I have faith we will see some W’s for ole Maple Lake in the next few years. My cheering in the stands won’t echo so much. Just look to the boys basketball team, with two wins this year, after several winless years. They got better as the season went on, they kept their team spirit, and that is really what shone. I continued to be impressed with both the football and basketball teams, that no matter the score the players continued to cheer each other on, continued to look for the open teammate, continued to love the game. My kids see that, and the youth football and basketball teams are thriving. Ben played on a state football team, it can happen again. Brian played on a state basketball team, it can happen again. Thank you to the students and coaches! What could happen if programs do not see enthusiasm and dedication? They disappear. Those experiences, the laughter and joy and learning disappear. From the 1970s to the mid-1990s Maple Lake was home to a nationally renowned marching band program led by Joe Thomas. The summer after my junior year, 2001, saw the last year of full marching band in Maple Lake, we did really well that year and had a lot of fun, but after my class graduated in 2002 the interest wasn’t there, and full marching band hasn’t been seen since. Luckily band hasn’t disappeared and there seems to be a resurgence of pep and jazz bands and the drum line. Per the elementary band teacher, Ethan Brummer, over 70% of Maple Lake’s 5th grade students are in band! Perhaps we might see the green and gold marching again someday. Till then thank you to the students and teachers for keeping the band program alive! As a parent of young children, as a Maple Lake native, I just want to say thank you to the students and coaches who continue to have enthusiasm, dedication, and love of the game. Win or lose, your experiences, the joy, laughter, learning to encourage and work with others will be forever valuable. And remember your efforts don’t go unnoticed, “little kids” continue to notice you “big kids” and your efforts continue to inspire them! Thank you!
Jen Rasset
Maple Lake