I first experienced ‘ tournament fever’ when I was in the sixth grade attending the Clinton Elementary School. Even then I was a proud Clinton Rocket.

And that was well before Russia and the U.S.A. were in a race to be the first to escape the bonds of earth and begin our venture into outer space. Rockets were of course important in achieving such an endeavor.

Rockets as a high school mascot was a way of keeping up with the times – space travel. So, we students were proud of being the Clinton Rockets! 🙂

In 1956 the Clinton Rockets were a very competitive basketball team. They were the only team in the school’s history to be crowned District #21 Champions and the campaign of that season taught me about ‘tournament fever’.

Once you experience ‘tournament fever’ you never get over it or forget it.

So, for the rest of my life, I have lived for the opportunity to follow or play on a basketball team that would advance to that end goal of playing for the state championship in William’s Arena on the University of Minnesota campus.

The 1956 Rockets fell two games short of playing at William’s Arena and that started my quest to follow and cheer for teams striving to reach that goal.

Neighboring schools such as Ortonville and Benson achieved that dream, and I followed their journey always green with envy.

Wheaton the community where I was destined to spend fifty-five years of my life to date had the most disappointing attempt to represent Region #6 at the state tournament.

In the 1962 basketball season during the warmups before the Region #6 Championship game in the Alexandria High School Wheaton’s big six- foot six center attempted to dunk the basketball, and in the process, ripped the glass backboard off its supports and it fell to the floor and shattered into pieces!

The Wheaton Warriors were favored to win the game, but the game was delayed for several hours as a new backboard had to be located and reattached to the supports.

Meanwhile the Warrior players ate popcorn, drank pop and lost their game playing concentration.

The Benson Braves pulled off an upset that afternoon and traveled to William’s Arena instead of the Wheaton Warriors and experienced memories that I am sure are with them today.

My dream of visiting Williams Arena came within two minutes to becoming a reality during my fourth year that I taught in Wheaton. Our boys’ basketball team was leading the Melrose Dutchmen with two minutes remaining in the Region #6 Championship game.

In fact, I think I might have jinxed the team as I sat in the packed gymnasium and began to formulate my lesson plans for the following week assuming the Warriors would be down in Minneapolis playing basketball in William’s Arena for several of those days.

Several questionable calls by the referees and our meager lead in the game disappeared and our dreams were dashed. My lesson planning had been a waste of time! 🙁

Would that tournament fever ever become a reality for me in the Golden Gopher’s home court, William’s Arena?

Up to this point the dream only entailed a boys’ basketball team until option #2 became available. Girl’s athletics was reintroduced to Minnesota high schools.

Previously the only athletic sport available to the girls was being the cheerleaders for the boys’ sports. Since only a half dozen spots were open for cheerleaders that meant a lot of athletically talented girls had no way to let their athletic skills shine.

Well except for GAA which met weekly in the evening I believe. Here the girls’ interested in athletics could form teams and play each other in various team sports.

The first years of girls’ competition was a struggle, but it didn’t take long to watch the program produce some talented young ladies.

In fact, it wasn’t long before tournament fever became evident in the girls’ teams also. Three times in the 1980’s the Wheaton girls’ team achieved what the boys’ team had failed to do. They became Region #6 basketball Champs and traveled to Minneapolis and participated in the Girls’ State Basketball Tournaments.

In fact, during the 1987 tournament the Wheaton girls were in the championship game against Rochester Lourdes and with just seconds remaining on the clock the Warriors were leading by a point.

I was again caught making premature plans. How would we celebrate this victory? About that time a Lourdes girl fired up a long shot that slipped through the net as the final horn sounded.

That was the day you could feel tournament fever die. 🙁

I’ve often thought about that sudden game ending shot and since Lourdes is a Catholic School, I suspect they left a dozen Nuns in their school gym saying a rosary during the game. That’s the only explanation for such a sudden turn of events. 🙁

So, it took a group of teenage girls to first earn the right to play on the University of Minnesota’s William’s Arena basketball floor.

I still wasn’t satisfied. My quest would not end until the boys’ team enjoyed the same experience, that same tournament fever.

This year a big change occurred as the Wheaton Warriors faded into the history books. They were replaced by a collaboration of neighboring schools: Wheaton, Herman-Norcross, Clinton, Graceville, and Beardsley.

They formed a new team that is now known as the Boarder West Buccaneers.

There were concerns how the new roster would react. Would the team be accepting of the new faces?

Well, I’m happy to put that concern to bed as the Boarder West Buccaneers produced ‘tournament fever’ as the basketball season came to an end.

The new team demonstrated tremendous chemistry. The chemistry propelled them to become Section #6 champions and they allowed me to accomplish my goal of having both our girls’ and boys’ team play basketball in the state tournament and demonstrate their skills on the University of Minnesota’s Williams’ Arena floor! 🙂

I love tournament fever! 🙂

Actually, there is really one more unfulfilled dream of mine. I would love to play a short game of basketball on the Williams’ Arena basketball floor.

I’m going to Google “Williams’ Arena Intramural Teams”.

If I’m lucky maybe I can become a reserve on a fraternity intramural team. I’ll enroll in a basket weaving class, so I’ll be legal.

It will be good to get back to that college atmosphere for a brief period.

I better check to see if I can still run? 🙁

Until next time.