How a troubling trend is impacting girls high school basketball in Wisconsin
“He literally said, ‘I have talent, kids who played basketball in the past, who decided not to go out, and that group is more talented than the group I’m putting on the floor right now,’” Schindler said. Schindler has talked to other coaches and athletic directors about the problems he sees at Deerfield, and they’re […]
“He literally said, ‘I have talent, kids who played basketball in the past, who decided not to go out, and that group is more talented than the group I’m putting on the floor right now,’” Schindler said.
Schindler has talked to other coaches and athletic directors about the problems he sees at Deerfield, and they’re in the same position. He said one athletic director told him that they could put a group of girls together from the student body and beat the varsity team.
Most girls already had played anywhere between 250 to 300 basketball games by the time they entered Don Schindler’s girls basketball program at Deerfield.
“If we don’t have girls going out for the feeders, then we’re not gonna end up having girls playing at the high school level,” she said.
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Edgewood’s Anna Miller looks for someone to pass the ball to during Friday’s WIAA Division 2 state semifinal against Rice Lake.
Girls now will play their last volleyball match on a Friday or Saturday, then go to basketball practice Monday.
Madison East
But development comes at a cost. Justice spent time this season teaching her varsity players how to dribble the ball and other basic basketball skills instead of using the time to game plan against an upcoming opponent or teach more advanced techniques.
LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN ARCHIVES
With a young family of her own, Justice understands that there are more important things in life than basketball. She tells her players that family and school come before basketball, and her flexible approach to practice allows more players to stay involved with the team while working a part-time job or taking care of younger siblings.
Without a connection to the high school program or understanding of local rivalries, high school basketball isn’t always worth sticking around for, especially when players already are exhausted.
Deerfield, a Division 4 school with 205 students, had 10 players on its varsity girls basketball team this season.
The lack of a youth program also made it harder for Justice to coach her varsity team to victories. Girls are entering high school with no previous basketball experience and no grasp of the sport’s fundamentals.
Sara Mallegni remembers a few years ago one of her varsity girls basketball players quit to focus on her club volleyball season.
Unlike Madison East, Deerfield has a thriving youth program run by the town’s community center. However, community center basketball is only the start for girls who play there. Many soon join club teams and play in tournaments across the state and region, spending about three-quarters of the year playing basketball.
The Purgolders finished the season 7-15 after a loss to Waunakee in the regional round.
Deerfield finished 22-4 this season and won the Trailways South Conference. Schindler saw people in the bleachers he hadn’t seen in a few years who were excited by the team’s success.
Madison East’s Valerie Richardson is one of the state’s top scorers, partly because of her ability to shoot from 3-point range.
The youth sports scene has completely changed over the past 20 years. Seasons that used to be six to eight weeks now last up to 24 weeks, which can exhaust young players, Schindler said.
Edgewood’s Beanie Thompson drives to the basket during Friday’s WIAA Division 2 state semifinal against Rice Lake.
Traveling so far for competition has another impact.
Edgewood’s Mya Tomlinson (middle) tips the ball to a teammate during Friday’s Division 2 state semifinal.
“Kids have to provide for their family sometimes, so you’re having kids that have to go from practice to work, or they can’t come to practice on the weekend because they have to work and make money to provide for their family at home,” she said.
Mallegni was a three-sport athlete in high school, playing tennis, basketball and softball. Her daughter, Teagan, a freshman with the University of Iowa women’s basketball team, played basketball and volleyball in high school.
The declining girls basketball numbers have impacted local schools in a variety of ways. Some have had to cut JV programs, while others have suffered from a short bench for their varsity program.
Edgewood’s Erin Schauer attempts a 3-pointer during Friday’s WIAA Division 2 state semifinal.
Edgewood’s Beanie Thompson attempts a shot against Rice Lake.
Edgewood’s Macey Faust (14) looks to take a shot down low during the first half.
However, girls also need to be willing to make an effort for their high school teams.
“They are actually watching games on TV, they show up at games,” Mallegni said about her youth program players. “I think there’s something there that we’ll build on and we’ll get girls that are excited about the game of basketball.”
“I think it becomes too much too fast for third-, fourth-, fifth-grade girls, and that drives the wear-out or burn-out you start to see,” he said.
The key to encouraging multi-sport athletes is ensuring a break between seasons to rest and re-group. When Mallegni was in high school, she always had a few weeks between sports seasons, something she looked forward to immensely.
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The coaches don’t want to blame volleyball, she said. Many coaches, including Mallegni, are willing to be flexible and allow athletes the option of participating in both club volleyball and high school basketball.
For Justice, there’s no clear answer to increasing participation in girls basketball. She suggested shortening the season could help retain the girls who can’t commit four to five months of the school year to basketball, but barriers like money and the cost of living are much harder to solve.
By the time these players reach high school, the number of games played and time spent on their sport can wear them out, which makes them less likely to continue playing.
Beyond getting help from parents to alleviate burnout, Schindler wants to motivate girls to keep playing basketball in high school by showing them the excitement of rivalry games and having classmates and community members cheer them on in the stands.
“They feel like they have to pick and choose, and unfortunately here, they feel like they need to play club volleyball in order to play school ball,” she said.
There are plenty of circumstances that have led to the decline in girls basketball participation over the past 15 years, but a growing wave of young girls have a new reason for joining the sport.
“It just kind of deteriorated, but COVID-19 didn’t help that,” Justice said. “It just wiped everything away, and now it’s up to the head coaches of these schools to bring that back on top of trying to develop their own program.”
“You have to take what you can get,” Justice said. “If girls want to come out, of course I want them. I’m going to help develop them.”
SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVES
Rebuilding the Madison East youth program isn’t something Justice can do by herself. She needs the assistance of volunteer coaches and investment from the community. But time is a valuable commodity.
Edgewood’s Maren Schmotzer (25) goes up for a shot during the first half of Friday’s Division 2 state semifinal.
Mallegni participated in a round-table discussion with other coaches in the state before this girls basketball season to discuss declining participation. The 12 coaches on the committee all were frustrated by the consequences of early sports specialization and prioritization of club sports.
Five girls basketball teams were crowned state champions over the weekend in Green Bay, concluding a season that saw the continuation of a troubling trend for the sport in Wisconsin.
“It’s really gotta be driven by the parents,” he said. “Pull them back, give them the opportunity to take a deep breath, play a different sport, be a kid, run around and do something other than play basketball, which is difficult to say when I’m a basketball coach.”
It’s been a struggle for Justice to recruit players without a youth program to feed into the high school teams. There are 1,644 students at Madison East, but the Purgolders had just 15 in their girls basketball program, including 10 on the varsity team.
Edgewood’s sutdent section takes time to do pushups during the second half.
McFarland’s Teagan Mallegni passes during a game in January.
While Schindler believes in the importance of club sports for players who genuinely love them, he knows they are not for everyone.
“We can sell to the kids, say, ‘Listen, there’s some really exciting times. The community will back you.’ I think that’s when a kid’s eyes will light up and get excited again about the sport,” he said.
There is no single reason for the drop in participation. Different factors have played a role in the decline in participation for teams in the Madison area. Here are some of the stories from schools facing decreasing participation in girls basketball.
Legendary beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings won high school state championships in basketball and volleyball. Star basketball players Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark both played multiple sports in high school — Clark played two years of soccer, while Reese was an outside hitter in volleyball.
The girl was adamant that she needed to play club volleyball to be a part of the junior varsity volleyball team at McFarland.
“It used to be that they might leave 15 minutes early from practice,” she said. ”Now we’ve had girls miss school games to go to club practices. It’s not good for team morale when you have people leaving or not showing up.”
Schindler estimates that by high school, only 20 to 30% of girls who play basketball stick with it. Even then, keeping them for all four years of high school is a challenge.
Madison East coach Alysha Justice grew up playing in the Purgolders’ youth program. But it disappeared sometime between her graduation in 2014 and return to the school as its varsity coach in 2022.
Scene from Friday’s WIAA girls basketball state semifinal between Edgewood, Rice Lake
“Basketball coaches that I’ve talked to are big fans of multi-sport athletes and would like to have girls be able to do that without bleeding from one end to the other,” Mallegni said.
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
“It’s just hard to take,” Mallegni said. “We don’t expect our girls to play club if you want to play basketball at McFarland. You can if you want to, but I don’t recommend it necessarily. We like the idea of multi-sport athletes.”
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
While basketball participation has decreased in the last 15 years, girls’ participation in sports increased by more than 250,000 athletes, according to the NFHS. Wisconsin has seen none of that growth. About 7,000 fewer girls participated in high school sports during the 2023-24 school year compared to 2009-10.
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
Girls who play sports in high school are more likely to get better grades, graduate and have higher levels of confidence, according to a study by the Women’s Sports Foundation.
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
“It’s always hard. Money and resources — that’s a big thing. Money is a barrier for a lot of things,” Justice said. “People can’t just donate their time to stuff like that anymore. If you’re not paying coaches, you’re not going to have coaches to do it.”
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
While players at the high school level may feel like they need to choose one sport to increase their chances of playing in college, many of the country’s top female athletes played multiple sports in high school.
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
Money isn’t just a roadblock to getting adult volunteers. Plenty of the players also have to juggle basketball with school, work and family commitments.
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
“This lack of community connection can diminish the excitement of playing for a school team, where local pride and support of friends and family are strong motivators,” Schindler said.
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
Edgewood’s Makayla Foley drives to the basket during Friday’s WIAA Division 2 state semifinal against Rice Lake.
MARK MCMULLEN LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
Girls basketball participation in Wisconsin has decreased by 24% over the past 15 seasons, compared to a 16.4% decrease nationally, according to data from the National Federation of State High School Association.
United Way NSV Highlights the Power of NonProfit Partnerships
In the latest edition of ‘The Valley Today,’ host Janet Michael sat down with Andy Gail, CEO of United Way Northern Shenandoah Valley, and Holly Roberts, founder of Love To Nic, to discuss their impactful and collaborative efforts to support the homeless and needy communities in Northern Shenandoah Valley and beyond. Holly shared that Love […]
In the latest edition of ‘The Valley Today,’ host Janet Michael sat down with Andy Gail, CEO of United Way Northern Shenandoah Valley, and Holly Roberts, founder of Love To Nic, to discuss their impactful and collaborative efforts to support the homeless and needy communities in Northern Shenandoah Valley and beyond.
Holly shared that Love To Nic was founded in memory of her late son, Nic, who struggled with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder before dying in a car accident a decade ago. The nonprofit primarily focuses on providing shoes but has since expanded to include winter jackets, boots, and other essential items like non-slip shoes and steel-toed boots to help the homeless secure jobs. Holly’s heartfelt story included her travels to NFL stadiums. During these trips, the organization hands out numerous pairs of shoes, socks, hats, and gloves to the homeless.
Janet remarked on how powerful and touching Holly’s mission is, particularly the ripple effect that one act of kindness can provoke. Holly recounted a poignant story about a recipient who reached out to his mother after receiving shoes, which led to a cascade of donations from various states.
The discussion then shifted to the collaborative aspect of their work. Andy explained how United Way emphasizes collaboration among nonprofits through their impact grants, requiring partnerships among applicants to address community needs more holistically. He noted that they had received over $800,000 in requests from 50 nonprofits.
In a surprise announcement, Andy revealed that United Way had received an additional grant to support basic needs in rural counties. Holly was overjoyed to learn that Love To Nic would be receiving $5,000 from this fund to continue their important work in providing shoes and meals to the needy.
Holly also discussed the logistics of her operations, highlighting partnerships with companies like Bombas for socks and various brands for affordable footwear. Despite the challenges, Holly’s determination and her support network have allowed Love To Nic to make a significant impact.
Andy talked about how United Way leverages community connections and data to secure funding and support for various initiatives. He emphasized that their success is a community effort, showcasing how collaborative efforts can drive meaningful change.
The discussion ended on a high note with Holly thanking United Way and the community for their support, while Andy promised continued backing for her vital work. Janet encouraged listeners to engage and support such initiatives.
The Indiana High School Athletic Association state track and field meet was held at North Central High School in Indianapolis on Friday, June 6. Among the talented athletes in the field were Masson Heiny from Richmond High School competing in the discus, Maddox Pritchett from Centerville High School competing in the long jump and Jacob […]
The Indiana High School Athletic Association state track and field meet was held at North Central High School in Indianapolis on Friday, June 6. Among the talented athletes in the field were Masson Heiny from Richmond High School competing in the discus, Maddox Pritchett from Centerville High School competing in the long jump and Jacob Lindahl from RHS competing in the shot put. The top nine finishers in each event climbed the podium at the conclusion of their event to receive a medal. Only Lindahl reached the podium.
Heiny placed 27th in the discus with a throw of 147 feet, 5 inches. The state champion was Kaleb Rasheed from Avon High School with a winning throw of 191 feet, 10 inches.
Pritchett placed 29th in the long jump with a leap of 20 feet, 5.5 inches. The state champion was Jaylen Ramsey from Merrillville High School with a leap of 23 feet, 8.5 inches.
Lindahl placed seventh in the shot put with a toss of 58 feet, 2.5 inches. The state champion was Benjamin Brown from Southport HS with a toss of 63 feet, 2 inches.
Lawrence North won the meet with 47 points, Bloomington North was second with 45 points and Merrillville was third with 40 points. Lindahl scored 3 points for Richmond.
A version of this article
will appear in the June 11 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.
SCVi Graduation Highlights Authenticity, Empathy, And Lifelong Connections
Forty students walked across the stage Friday evening at Santa Clarita Valley International Charter School (SCVi), marking a milestone filled with reflection, gratitude, and inspiration. Throughout the ceremony, a recurring theme emerged: SCVi’s focus on character development alongside academic achievement. Graduates shared future plans that include attending institutions like Woodbury University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute […]
Forty students walked across the stage Friday evening at Santa Clarita Valley International Charter School (SCVi), marking a milestone filled with reflection, gratitude, and inspiration.
Throughout the ceremony, a recurring theme emerged: SCVi’s focus on character development alongside academic achievement. Graduates shared future plans that include attending institutions like Woodbury University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute and pursuing careers in aerospace engineering, computer science, and culinary arts.
SCVi Director Chad Powell’s commencement speech emphasized two central values: authenticity and empathy.
“Authenticity means showing up as your true self, even when it’s hard,” Powell said. “In a world that often pressures you to fit into a mold, your willingness to be real, to stand up for what you believe, to ask for help when you need it, and to embrace your unique path, is your greatest strength. Don’t trade that for approval. The world doesn’t need perfect people, it needs real ones.”
Graduate Jasmine Adler echoed the school’s values in her own remarks, highlighting the core principles instilled by SCVi: “explore, question, create, collaborate, and connect.”
“For many of us, this moment can be emotional,” Adler said. “Not just because we’re moving on from high school, but because we’re stepping away from the comfort and familiarity of our school community and the people who supported us from the very beginning – especially those unsung heroes, our parents. Their love, encouragement, and strength have been the steady foundations that carried us here. On behalf of all of us, I want to say thank you.”
For SCVi Board President Nicole Miller, the evening was especially poignant as she celebrated the graduation of her daughter, Keane, along with several students who had been part of the SCVi community since kindergarten.
Miller shared how she first discovered the school at an Earth Day festival when Keane was just 2 years old, and later enrolled her through a lottery. Reflecting on her daughter’s journey, Miller credited SCVi for nurturing Keane’s self-confidence and empathy.
“I got to witness those learners, our graduates today, practice their empathy, use their voice and advocate and build the experience they wanted together, just like those first four days of kindergarten,” she said. “Keane, you are a magical human, and I couldn’t be more grateful to be your mom.”
The ceremony featured vocal performances by students, including a heartfelt rendition of ABBA’s “Slipping Through My Fingers.
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Valley News – Local Roundup: Teams advance to semifinal play Hanover celebrates their 6-5 NHIAA D-II quarterfinal win over Bow on Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Bow, N.H. The Bears will face John Stark in Wednesday’s semifinal. (Photos by Chip) Photos by Chip — Chip Griffin Editor’s note: To have your team’s results included in […]
Valley News – Local Roundup: Teams advance to semifinal play
Hanover celebrates their 6-5 NHIAA D-II quarterfinal win over Bow on Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Bow, N.H. The Bears will face John Stark in Wednesday’s semifinal. (Photos by Chip)
Photos by Chip — Chip Griffin
Editor’s note: To have your team’s results included in the Local Roundup, visit https://www.vnews.com/submit-a-score.Baseball
Hanover 6, Bow 5
Key players: Hanover — Alex Boone earned the win for Hanover, pitching 5⅔ innings, striking out 6 and walking 4. Jack Lobb collected the save. Bow — Jake Reardon singled in the bottom of the second to give Bow a 3-1 lead.
Highlights: Hanover’s Jorgen Drent tripled in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3 to ignite a comeback that led to the Bears’ upset of No. 3 Bow in Saturday’s Division II quarterfinals. In the top of the sixth, Hayden Avard doubled, Wyatt Daigle doubled and Jack Lobb singled, each scoring one run. Sixth-ranked Hanover moves on to the NHIAA Division II semifinals against John Stark on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Concord’s Memorial Field.
Records: Hanover 13-5; Bow 14-3
White River Valley 3, Randolph 1
Key players: White River Valley — Jacob Benoit, Brayden Russ, Quinlan Grace, Wyatt Cadwell, Donavan Craven, Issac Wimett, Leland French-Dyer
Highlights: Cadwell threw 6⅓ strong innings for the Wildcats in a VPA Division III quarterfinal before Grace came in to close the door for the win over the Galloping Ghosts. WRV played very well defensively. Benoit came up with a number of big plays at shortstop, and Cadwell helped himself making a number of plays on the mound. Offensively the Wildcats had seven hits on the day. Benoit was 2-for-3, Craven was 1-for-2 with a double and a run scored, Grace was 1-for-3 with a run scored, Cadwell finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and Wimett went 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI. White River Valley will host BFA-Fairfax in Tuesday’s semifinals at 4:30 p.m.
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Coach’s quote: “The guys played a great game defensively today. I am very proud of them.” — White River Valley’s Devin Cilley
Records: White River Valley 14-0; Randolph 6-12 Girls Lacrosse
Highlights: Barwood reached another major milestone in the Hartford High School records, hitting her 300th career point during a very physical quarterfinal game against Harwood. The team overall stayed united to pull off the win to continue on to Tuesday’s semifinals against Woodstock at 4 p.m. at Hartford High School.
Records: Hartford 14-0; Harwood 6-12 Softball
Newport 5, Gilford 0
The Tigers avenged their semifinal loss to the Golden Eagles in last year’s playoffs with the win Sunday in the NHIAA Division III quarterfinals. Newport, the No. 3 seed, will face the No. 2 seed Prospect Mountain in Tuesday’s semifinal at Chase Field in Plymouth, N.H. Prospect beat Belmont, the seventh seed, 3-0 on Sunday.
Prospect (18-1) defeated Newport (16-2) 3-2 on May 12th.
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Dive into the heart of DFW high school sports! Watch as Argyle aims to dominate again, backed by quarterback Maguire Gasperson. Discover emerging talents from Mansfield to Grapevine, and see how teams like Colleyville Heritage and The Colony are gearing up for a turnaround season. Don’t miss out on exclusive game highlights and player insights […]
Dive into the heart of DFW high school sports! Watch as Argyle aims to dominate again, backed by quarterback Maguire Gasperson. Discover emerging talents from Mansfield to Grapevine, and see how teams like Colleyville Heritage and The Colony are gearing up for a turnaround season. Don’t miss out on exclusive game highlights and player insights in this action-packed episode!
After 130 games broadcast on Ticket TV over the fall, winter and spring seasons, it’s now time to settle the debate. What is the best highlight captured by Ticket TV cameras while broadcasting local high school sports in the 2024-25 season? That’s what we’re all here to find out. Here’s a link to highlight playlist: Ticket […]
After 130 games broadcast on Ticket TV over the fall, winter and spring seasons, it’s now time to settle the debate. What is the best highlight captured by Ticket TV cameras while broadcasting local high school sports in the 2024-25 season? That’s what we’re all here to find out.
Can the Liberty repeat as champs? | WNBA Countdown
