Published: March 21, 2014
Walz family hoping to celebrate
Lots of victories between 2 brothers and father
By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News
In all likelihood, there will be a gathering and a
celebration of some sort at the home of Jason and Ryan Walz’s parents.
The question is: What will they be celebrating?
Ryan Walz, Wisconsin Lutheran’s boys basketball and younger
brother of Kettle Moraine Lutheran girls basketball coach Jason Walz, will turn
40 years old Sunday.
However, the hope is it will be a celebration of Jason
Walz’s first state championship.
“I can’t think of a better present than my brother winning a
state championship,” Ryan Walz said.
Jason Walz’s team is at the WIAA girls basketball state
tournament for the first time since 1996 and not since 1990 have the Chargers
won a girls basketball state championship.
Raised in a basketball family, it’s no shock a large
contingent of the Walz family will be at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon when
the Chargers play Oconto Falls at 9:05 a.m. today in a WIAA Division 3 state
semifinal and hopefully the state championship Saturday.
“(The) whole family will be there,” Ryan Walz said. “(It’s)
just a huge support group we have. My mom and dad are huge fans of ours.”
On Saturday, Ryan Walz won his second state championship,
winning the WIAA Division 2 title with the Vikings. Wisconsin Lutheran also won
the state title in 2009, Walz’s first season at his alma mater.
In 2013, the Vikings lost the Division 2 final to Pulaski.
“What makes this year special is the fact we had five
seniors that played on that team last year,” Walz said. “It’s very difficult to
make it back, especially the second time in a row.”
On the same day, Walz’s older brother, Jason, led the KML girls team to the sectional championship and clinched a spot at the state tournament.
The following day, the family got together at mom and dad’s house and celebrated Ryan’s second championship and Jason’s first state berth.
“When you’re close to your family, you get great joy seeing people you love be happy, achieve their goals and have success,” Ryan Walz said.
The state championship gold ball was at the house.
“I was thrilled; probably more excited for my mom and dad,” Jason Walz said.
Of course basketball was talked about.
Yes, they all have admiration for each other. But the admiration came after many times of fierce competition in whatever way possible.
If there was a way to make an activity or a board game competitive, the Walz family made it competitive. In return, there were disagreements, both of the verbal and physical nature.
Who could blame a family with more than 750 victories in high school basketball to be competitive?
Ryan and Jason’s father, Dale Walz, won more than 500 games and is a WBCA Hall of Fame inductee. Ryan Walz is 132-26 in six seasons at Wisconsin Lutheran, while Jason Walz is 157-58 in nine seasons at KML.
This year, the brothers’ teams are a combined 51-3.
“I can remember a time where I had to stop playing games with the family because I would take it too seriously,” Ryan Walz said. “It’s that competitiveness inside you that drives you.
“You have to learn how to harness it and use it for good.”
Surprisingly, mom was the worst.
Once the brothers got older, they, first of all, were more brittle than they were as kids so physical confrontations reduced. They also figured out how to control the competitiveness and have become smart coaches.
As Jason Walz has gone through the preparations this week of getting a team ready for the state tournament, he has leaned on his younger brother for tips.
“When it comes to basketball, he doesn’t need my help,” Ryan Walz said. “Where I wanted to support him was the little things, how do you communicate with parents, best game plan for preparing, when are you going to practice. If you’re a first-timer it can be overwhelming, it’s good to get other people’s opinions.
“When you can get other people’s opinions, it can help you tremendously.”
One of those recommendations was practice on a college basketball court. That’s what KML did, taking a practice day at the University of Wisconsin-Washington County.
“His experience in the state tournament is more extensive than mine,” Jason Walz said.
The key thing he’s learned this week is to keep the routine as normal as possible while still finding a balance to where all those associated with the program can enjoy the opportunity.
After all, KML waited 18 years in between trips to state.
“You just don’t know when this opportunity will come up again,” Jason Walz said.
On the same day, Walz’s older brother, Jason, led the KML girls team to the sectional championship and clinched a spot at the state tournament.
The following day, the family got together at mom and dad’s house and celebrated Ryan’s second championship and Jason’s first state berth.
“When you’re close to your family, you get great joy seeing people you love be happy, achieve their goals and have success,” Ryan Walz said.
The state championship gold ball was at the house.
“I was thrilled; probably more excited for my mom and dad,” Jason Walz said.
Of course basketball was talked about.
Yes, they all have admiration for each other. But the admiration came after many times of fierce competition in whatever way possible.
If there was a way to make an activity or a board game competitive, the Walz family made it competitive. In return, there were disagreements, both of the verbal and physical nature.
Who could blame a family with more than 750 victories in high school basketball to be competitive?
Ryan and Jason’s father, Dale Walz, won more than 500 games and is a WBCA Hall of Fame inductee. Ryan Walz is 132-26 in six seasons at Wisconsin Lutheran, while Jason Walz is 157-58 in nine seasons at KML.
This year, the brothers’ teams are a combined 51-3.
“I can remember a time where I had to stop playing games with the family because I would take it too seriously,” Ryan Walz said. “It’s that competitiveness inside you that drives you.
“You have to learn how to harness it and use it for good.”
Surprisingly, mom was the worst.
Once the brothers got older, they, first of all, were more brittle than they were as kids so physical confrontations reduced. They also figured out how to control the competitiveness and have become smart coaches.
As Jason Walz has gone through the preparations this week of getting a team ready for the state tournament, he has leaned on his younger brother for tips.
“When it comes to basketball, he doesn’t need my help,” Ryan Walz said. “Where I wanted to support him was the little things, how do you communicate with parents, best game plan for preparing, when are you going to practice. If you’re a first-timer it can be overwhelming, it’s good to get other people’s opinions.
“When you can get other people’s opinions, it can help you tremendously.”
One of those recommendations was practice on a college basketball court. That’s what KML did, taking a practice day at the University of Wisconsin-Washington County.
“His experience in the state tournament is more extensive than mine,” Jason Walz said.
The key thing he’s learned this week is to keep the routine as normal as possible while still finding a balance to where all those associated with the program can enjoy the opportunity.
After all, KML waited 18 years in between trips to state.
“You just don’t know when this opportunity will come up again,” Jason Walz said.
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