December 30th, 2023, Al Smith's birthday.
If it's 7 o'clock on Saturday morning, it's time for this week in walkishaw on W.A.U.K. 101.1 FM. I'm your host
downtown Danny Brown coming to you live and local from the office of former alderman Don Paul Brown
here in the walk radio studios in the old NAMI building at 217 Wisconsin Avenue right
around the corner from the Theodore Yalman's Park where we are proud to honor our suffragette
heritage here in the Shaw. This morning's very special guest. I should say guest plural,
but the the first guest was named the American volleyball coaches association 14 s coach of the
year for his work with the motion 14 s blue squad. He also in this incredible year of 2023
led the walkishaw north and south combined fusion boys volleyball team to a share of the classic
eight title and the sectional championship going on to state competition. If we were to have a
walkishaw sports person of the year, my vote would be this morning's guest Joseph Bansky. Joe
welcome. How are you? I am great. Thanks for having me Donna. Appreciate it. Love being back. Yep.
And Joe has brought one of his show said protégés one of two all state players from the team.
The fusion player from north. Mr. Nick Bingenheimer. Nick, how are you?
Doing great. Thanks for having me. Sounds great. Yeah, glad you're here. And who was the other
second all state player? I'm embarrassed to ask. Rick Hill padded our from walkishaw south was
that's right. Of course. So and he is legend there too. He seemed around the south campus.
That's that's the that's the volleyball star. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He's sure Nick. It's the same, you know,
whispers and when he's over there in the north campus. One of my favorite parts at the end of the
season, we we dragged out the vertical measure. You know, you jump and you swing it and you knock
and it tells us how high your reach is based on different pieces and both both guys are hitting
men's national level type heights of 11 and a half feet 11 9 Rick touched. I mean that that is
just an insane level to hit. So they're both of the guys verticals were were big and
you know, and that helped us throughout the season. That's fantastic. And
the the sport is obviously it's growing in popularity with all the attention on the Wisconsin
teams and their success. Yeah, volleyball on a whole. When you look at the men's side,
the last 10 years, there's been a 78% growth in men's volleyball, boys volleyball in the collegiate
high school area. We're we're seeing states. Minnesota just added sanctioned boys volleyball. It
is really starting to become the premier sport for boys. Sure. Now on my Facebook post this morning
in yesterday and in previous week, I showed that picture with you in another volleyball legend.
Who I know, tell us about that real quick. Uh, Karth Karai. Um, and did you meet him at the national
when you got the your award for actually the year actually the the day before. I got a chance to
to sit on the sidelines and and chat with him. Um, I call him the volleyball Jesus.
Like now, well said, you know, he he has, uh, when when you look at his resume of what he's
accomplished, uh, in the beach in in court as a coach, uh, if Karth is talking, you shouldn't be.
Sure. Um, so I did a whole lot of listening and and asked him a few questions and was lucky
enough to sit in on a couple of, uh, sessions that he led and and it was awesome.
Hey, real quick, if, uh, I, you know, I have to introduce my my radio Jesus in her name is
Anastasia. And how are you? And am I allowed to be radio Jesus given my specific predilections
towards Judaism? I don't know. Am I? I'm radio. I'm radio. I'm radio. I'm radio.
Okay. Even better. Sure. Yeah. Or David or David. I'm the king of radio. That yes. Sure.
But yeah, sure. No, but most of this is cool too. But yes, Anya, welcome. Glad to have you here.
Glad to be here. Thanks. I want to finish this. Karth Karai story because that one of the legends
about him that I knew because he won like gold when they like when beach volleyball became an Olympic
sport. Right. He won the gold in that. And I think there were a couple that there was like, was
there also like doubles in addition to a full team on the or something like that? Yeah. There's
just doubles. It's just doubles. But one of the legends about Karth Karai is that his father
thought he was attending law school the whole time. And I guess wasn't really truthful about
is the whole time he was playing beach beach volleyball there in Southern California. And also
in raking it in too. It was probably, you know, what not when you could do that. And so I and I
thought that was a neat legend that grew about someone's passion for a sport that he he he he
had the fact that he wasn't and wasn't wasn't at law school at all. Right. Yeah. Yeah. You know, he's
people always will tell you that if you've met him, how kind and courteous he is to to engage
in conversation and what an asset he is to volleyball. Sure. And I'll echo that forever at he was
very kind. You know, with his time and and giving feedback and stuff like that. So it was an
outstanding opportunity. Sure. So, um, fast forward to today's local legends, which include
Nick Bingenheimer. Would they be continuing their volleyball career in college?
I plan on it. I'm not sure where yet, but I'm hoping to be able to play volleyball wherever I go.
So I'm getting in contact with a few college coaches. And the ones that have seen me play are
pretty excited, um, kind of want me. So that's a great feeling. Yeah. Wherever I go, I'm sure I'll
have the same amount of fun that I've had on. Yeah. Watch a fusion. That's fantastic. Yeah.
Several of the guys are going on. That's great. Are we allowed to ask what what schools are you're
talking to or is that not safe right now? No, I mean, it's safe. I've been talking to the MSOE
coach. And if I decide to go there and I might have the possibility to play with Rick into college
because he's playing on going to MSOE if he gets accepted. Wow. That's me. Is he in the
engineering academy itself? Yes. Okay. That makes sense. One of the neat things, um, you know,
when when grade checks and things like that come upon, which is something as a high school coach,
you have to tend with, uh, I get to see how these guys not only excel on the court, but how they
just completely crush it in the classroom and. Sure. So impressed with what is happening in the
classroom. You just sit there and shake your head. It's like, well, these dudes are, you know,
in the gym for the amount of time that we are on weekends and all of those. And you heard that
about a lot of, uh, really top performing athletes are typically top performing and everything
they do in life. Nick, you know, as an eagle scout, Nick is an outstanding student. Nick is an
outstanding athlete. Uh, it kind of comes out of his DNA as a, uh, who he is as a human being. He's
just outstanding across the board. I love it. I love it. And real quick, um, had other other players
in the team that have made commitments to colleges that we can speak of. Yeah. Liam Robertson from
uh, Walker Sean North is going to be playing at Steven's point. Nice. Uh, which is a really neat
program. Um, I know that, uh, Eli Grant is looking, uh, my Eli Grant, your Eli Grant. Uh, I know
he's had a conversation with, I'm going to keep that coach's name a little concealed. But here
in the state of Wisconsin, um, he, he's looking at possibly going and pursuing there. I know the
coaches interested. I know Eli's terrific. Interested. I, I just think they've started recently
dancing. So we'll, we'll let them dance a little bit before we call him a couple. It's great.
Yeah. Eli was at the house last night. Him and my son Evan went bowling with a crew of other
friends. And so that's, that's safe for volleyball players to do, right? In the off season. Sure.
Yeah. Yeah. Probably good cross training, maybe. Hey, the only thing that, uh, shout out to Liam
Halston, the only thing that volleyball coaches get nervous about is skateboarding. Um, you know,
that's the same ilk of human being, right? Oh, that dude has blown up his ankles, uh, several times.
It, it's just, you, you, you get nervous form as soon as you see him right in the skateboard.
We're like, I thought we put a band on that during the season. Hey, we're taking your calls
for, uh, coach Joe Banskein is all, one of his all-state players. Uh, Nick, uh, let's try this
again. Bing and Heimer. Yeah. The number here, you can call our texts eight, four, four, nine,
six, seven, two, seven, eight, nine. That's eight, four, four, nine, six, seven, two, seven, eight, nine,
we're taking your calls this morning. So, hey, end your texts and your texts. Yes, thanks,
I know. And so that's, that's still a walkthrough of this incredible season. Following an amazing
season the year before, I know you didn't finish as high in the classic eight, but you know,
I'll, but ran the table in the, um, in the playoffs, losing in the sectional final to CMA,
right? Okay. Yeah. Yeah. And then this year, you started out, I believe like one of the first
matches was beating number one arrowhead, number one in the state arrowhead, right? In an amazing
victory. And then you, I think you, you ran the table in the, in the conference, except for,
was it one loss to CMA? One loss, yeah. We, uh, we were, uh, we were poised to run the table.
And we went to CMA. It was a heck of a game. Yeah. Uh, you know, if you talk to Danny,
their coach, he'll say that, you know, they were prepping for us the entire week that we were,
we were there. Locker with your legs poster, if you will. And, uh, you know, Danny did a great job,
coach and the guys and, and they came out with a game plan and a strategy and they executed
that strategy. And we end up losing, uh, a five set battle at their place. Uh, it was, you know,
sure. Great match. Lots of, uh, lots of excitement in the gym. And, you know, that, that made us
co-champions for our conference, um, which was, uh, you know, when you look at it, uh, I think
Waukesh on North, the last time they won the conference was 1992. Wow.
Waukesh on South, the last time they won the conference was in 1990. So you're talking,
you know, 32 and 33 type years since, uh, since South had won in, you know, 30 years since, uh,
Waukesh on North had won. So it's a, it was a significant accomplishment. And what is widely
recognizes the toughest conference in the state, uh, for boys and volleyball, it's really, uh, uh,
feather in the cap for the guys on the team to say that this is what we did, um, and how it went down.
Okay. So we're about a minute and a half away from our, uh, community message time. Very important
message is when you pay attention to, but I, when we, when we come back, we're going to talk about
the rematch that, uh, fusion had with CMH that took place in the sectional final battle of
classic eight coach champions. When this week in Waukesh, uh, continues. And also my guest next week
is the new director of the food pantry, serving Waukesh account. That's Lindsey Johnson. So be
sure to tune in for that. And we hope to have some people from parks here on the 13th to talk about
the annual winner, Jan Marie, a great Waukesh ad tradition. So so much to unpack here as we do a
complete year and review of 2023. As this week in Waukesh, I continue. Do not go away.
you
The air is still in silence of my room. I hear your voice softly calling. If I could only have you near to breathe a sigh of truth, I would be happy just to hold hands on your love.
Hey, we're back this weekend. Walk this shot in this song doubles as a Christmas song, but for me, it just reminds me of a great great way to cuddle up with that someone special in the cold winters night. And I first became aware of the song. Do you know the artist is Joe? No, it's Gordon Lightfoot, who passed away this summer shortly after you're on my show on July 22nd, Joe. Sometimes he was I think was in August,
but you know, one of my favorite, I guess you could call him folk or pop artists out of Canada. And that was one of the lesser known hits, but I saw it in the tributes. And I really, it's become enamored with it. Just another great, you know, great song of his, and he's found the remembered. And we'll be remembering some other artists who left us this year. But it's been a great year for walk a shot sports, you know, especially for South.
By the way, happy birthday to carry Leopold Shelty of this week, who had a celebrated birthday and her daughter Emily is on the walk a shot South cheerleading squad that's qualified for the national high school cheerleading championships in Orlando, Florida. And they're looking for donations to help Emily and other members of the team, you know, pay for this rather extravagant trip. Yeah, but he can grab you know, they earned it.
And you can contact the cheerleader, you know, on Venmo, you pick it a day to donate and pay the corresponding amount of the date you've picked. So let's say if you're picking January 26, you can pay $26 cash or Venmo is accepted. And if you don't have Venmo, be sure to contact Jenny Robars or athletic director Dan Shrier from the South athletic department. And there's so many other great moments.
And walk a shot sports, you know, the eSports team won their second straight state championship out of walk shot South. And we've had them twice in the show before. And it's there, you know, talk about another great group of student athletes, and taking that passion to college with them too many of them are, you know, are in programs related to game design and other like written related technologies and competing and getting scholarship money for it.
And then also the box itself mock trial team won their second state championship this year out second and three years. And in between they finished like third or fourth in state competition. Right. So real.
Again, congrats to coach.
Libby, Libby Miller and her team had a great year and a couple of she was on the show earlier this year with a couple players. So those are some fantastic moments. And Nick, I know North said some some great moments too that if there's any you can recall or shout out other than in addition to the fusion volleyball team.
And I can't put you in the spot there.
Um, I'm marching being as always great.
So which, oh, yeah, marching man, of course. Yeah. Um, yeah, off the top of my head. I can't remember any. So no worries. So, but you know, it's, but they're you're very competitive, you know, having broadcast to North Games in a row.
You know, there's a rule. There's a lot of excitement about the new coach there at North and the culture. This real positive progressive winning culture that they're instilling there for the men's basketball. So it'd be exciting to see them.
Yeah, they're, they're athletic department. You know, when you, when you look at high school sports and the locality of it. And, and how does the community become aware of what's happening in a gym. Yeah, something that I hear all the time about.
First time visitor to watch one of our games. They say, well, I had no idea. Something this exciting was happening in our gym. Yeah, that was said by a former principal to me. Sure. Sure. And I'm like, I'm trying to tell y'all. Yeah.
You know, but that happens. I'm not unique as a coach in that experience. Sure. You know, the mock trial team. I know because I know families involved in it. Yeah. How well they've done. And, but who else and where is that that, you know, we're not as diligent. I think as in promoting right kids who are are crushing it in the we'll call it the lesser known activities like that. Absolutely. So. Yeah. And then you're returning to volleyball too. Like I, I'd thought
for sure there was like kind of like like basketball or it's home and home. Right. It's like football or this is one game every year. Yeah. Do or die. And, uh, but then you watch and get you watch how physically and emotionally exhausting a five set match in many of them in the classic eight. We have like four or five teams that are ranked. Right.
Top 10 in the state. Right. Right. Those get, you know, that has a very even for the fans. Like I remember, you know, the games I attended. I, I was very, you know, I was drained. You know, it was really, but it was exciting. I mean, it was just a thrill.
Right. To be a part of when you look at, uh, again, you, you mentioned the classic eight. When you look at that set up, it's for sure a four set match. Uh, even when you, you know, yeah, when you play a team, uh, these last two years,
mosquitoes, been in a rebuild, a little bit process. They've got some great, uh, great underclassmen, freshmen, sophomore groups, uh, Ryan Thesis kid from, uh, is on that team. He's the Marquette University women's coach.
Okay. You know, DNA matters. Uh, his son can play. Yeah. So that, that's an up and coming program. But, you know, those are four or five set matches against everybody. I mean, very rarely do you see a three game sweep in the classic eight. It's a battle.
I bet. I bet. So this second and second, it's a shorter segment. So I want to, we're going to put a pin in the, the rematch of CMH in the sectional final that took place.
So I saw West, because I want to do a real walk through with that with you. If that's okay. Yeah. But yeah, in the time we have here, though, it's like one, one comment I have about, um, with you coach Banski is having watched my, my daughter competes at a youth level. And, and, you know, you go over to the, I forget the name of the volleyball center over there, uh, out in man, how many falls, but, oh, stings, I think, you know, it's like the, it's very tense. Oh, yeah, parents, fans, players, it's a really, but then here's Joe Banski. And it's like, you know, you,
you, you always carry yourself, but you don't have a care in the world. You always have this really demeanor that, that seems contrary to a lot of the, the pressures that, uh, that the sport that are part of the sport.
Is that fair to say? Well, I think Nick is kind of got a smile on his face to say, yeah, that's the point. You don't know my coach Banski.
As a fans perspective, it's easy to see him like that, but we're in the huddle. It is sometimes very different, especially during that sectional file game against teammates. There are moments where, especially in, like, the later moments of that fifth set where he was, um, not cool, common collected. Um, but it's just that passion coming out and that passion that like comes out, like it has to come on everyone, especially if you're that invested in a game, like that rematch, right?
When sectionals, sure, sure. Um, yeah, when we come back from these, uh, and started to interrupt the other neck, but well, you'll plenty of time talking next because we want to hear about this, this game for the ages. It sure was this match. It's a match. It's a match, right? Yeah, the match for the ages. So, but also, uh, real quick community option. The January natural Christmas trees will be collected the curb by city public workstaffed. Uh, new this year, please set out your Christmas trees on the same day as your garbage collection. Um, trees must be free of lighting decoration,
tree stands or any other objects. So, um, artificial trees will not be collected by public works. So, but, uh, more community announcements and more to talk about in this 2023 year in review with, um, live off using coach Joe Bansky and his all state player Nick Bingenheimer. Don't go away.
Don't go away.
Can you tell where I'm laying my friend up in? He just grinned and shook my hand. No one's always said. Take the load off, man. Now you're knowing that. Take the load for free. You didn't know we'd take the load off Spanish.
Hey, welcome back this week in Waukesha on December 30th here on Wauk Radio 101.1 FM 540 AM. And don't forget the Civic Media app. Download it on your smartphone. If you haven't already, so you can catch this week in Waukesha on the go. And speaking of which we also have, you can catch the recordings of the show.
On Wauk Radio dot com just click on shows and scroll to the very bottom of the weekend shows and you'll find this and that way you can check out past shows.
And I highly recommend it last week. We did a prerecorded show for, you know, due to the holidays with Cole Gallagher, a rising music star rock star who's moving from LA to Nashville and has roots with the Waukesha community is his grandmother is from here.
And so it's really neat to feature to learn about a young artist and.
Encourage you to check out it's Cole Gallagher dot com Gallagher CLLE G L L A G H E R dot com.
Kind of like the arrogance on any Cagney fans out there. So and now, but yeah, I do encourage you to check those out some great show, including the July 22nd episode of Joe where we first met Joe Bansky here on the show, which is great.
Today's gas coach, Joe Bansky national AV, AVCA coach of the year first work with the 14s girls motion team.
Right.
So and then of course the varsity fusion coach to amazing seasons, including this years, which was a, you know, share of the classic eight like that alone is just huge knowing how competitive the classic eight is in volleyball.
Yeah, Arrowhead was who we shared with and they they lost three mantras all year long. So to be one of the teams that beat them.
You know, really kind of describes how difficult the team they were to compete with and sure.
So this is great accomplishment.
And then in the playoffs, how many games do you have to win to get to the sectional champ was a two or three to get to the sectionals.
It was a two in.
Okay.
We had to play a while to say.
Easter rest.
No, it was Brookfield.
East.
Yeah, it was Brookfield.
It was Brookfield East and that because we had Brookfield East and then we had a New Berlin United, which is another co-op team out of New Berlin.
And that put us in the sectionals.
Nice.
And then in the sectionals, how many was it two games in the sectionals that two.
No, just one.
It's a sectional final.
That was it.
And that was against Catholic Memorial and locked in the Southwest high school.
Correct.
Yeah.
Neutral site and five set match.
Yeah, it was it.
Wow.
My favorite comment that I got second hand.
It came from the athletic director from South Dan Schreier.
Dan was watching the match with an official and administrative official from the WIA had come down to see that game.
And the comment from this official was that this was the epitome of youth sports.
And when you think about the weight of that statement and what we desire out of youth sport, that sportsmanship, that fierce competition level,
the excellence and execution of the skills of the game, all of that was on display.
I would argue that you cannot really walk into a D2, a D3 college match.
Sure.
And see much better volleyball than what you would have seen that night on display.
Wow.
And in that gym, it was really awesome.
Sure.
So Nick, I'm going to pick on you here for a put you on the spot here.
Kind of give us a walk through a beginning of the, I'm not telling the whole story of me like what tells how it all happened on that that that championship night.
So for the first half of the game, I personally was playing like not great, but what really.
And kept us in the game and kept us kept our hopes like alive and mine personally was everyone else like on the court and anyone that was there was contributing the absolute best that they could.
And we even got a mental health, personal trainer, something and news on our sidelines.
Sure.
Give them some words of wisdom, words of motivation.
So that's very key.
Yeah.
So everyone, everyone that could have possibly contributed to the best they could.
And against the team like CMH, you really need that to stay competitive and stay with them the whole game and stay with the whole game like you need a hundred percent throughout all those five sets.
And even when we were down four points, it was the fifth test started zero to four.
Wow.
We were losing.
Okay.
And even then everyone was giving their all like a hundred percent did not give up.
And there's a fifth set go to the same score as the others or is that like a small thing that goes that's right.
Yeah.
Wow.
This was like overtime essentially.
Oh, essentially.
Yeah.
So being down zero to four is a huge disadvantage.
But that's like a death sentence for a lot of themes.
Yeah.
That's fair to say.
It's fair to say.
Yeah.
But even with that detriment, we still played like we knew we were going to win.
Like we played incredible.
Sure.
Like it was one point at a time.
It wasn't going to be one play wins the game.
It's one point at a time.
And it was a long grind through that whole game.
Wow.
And we was the final score of that fifth set.
I remember I think it was sixteen fourteen.
So that went to do.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Sure.
And so describe.
What was that last play?
Can you remember the last play that that wanted for you guys?
Well, it was a bit of a messy play.
We, I believe we gave him a free ball or some like deep free ball.
And in my mind, I was in the front row.
In my mind, I was like, it would go into Vini Quella.
So I just, I got to the.
For the image.
For the image.
Yeah.
Great player.
I imagine.
Right.
Like going to D1 Pepperdine University.
I mean, he's okay.
Yeah.
So, so that's, that's amazing.
Wow, Pepperdine.
That's, and that's one of the elite programs, right?
Yep.
Still as well.
Yeah.
So like playing the match before where we lost and playing them again in this fifth
that match, it's, it's easy to understand like their mental mindset as well.
Sure.
Because they felt they had the momentum at that point.
No, they didn't.
They were about fifteen fourteen.
So they just kind of coming into the fifth set.
Coming into the fifth set.
Yeah.
Okay.
So, as, as it was going over, it's, it's one of those points where you need, like coming
from CMH's perspective.
It's a point you need.
So in those times of desperation, I knew they were going to go to their D1 commit.
So I just found them, followed them and actually got the final block to win the game.
Wow.
That's, it was against Kuala or just he said someone.
Yeah.
It's cool.
I believe.
So you guys were right.
This is like right out of the movie.
You're both up there against the net.
David and Goliath.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And you blocked that.
Wow.
And the ball just went like straight down to the floor, kind of carried, but stayed in bounds.
I think it went straight down.
I'm going to say it went straight down.
Wow.
It's a classic rough, in volleyball, we talk about being rough because the, you know, a
rough line has, right, the way you're driving that ball down to the floor.
It was a solid block and, you know, just an outstanding way to win a match.
Right.
Yeah.
And it's not like basketball, you're going in for a dunk.
There's a certain discipline like you can't go over the net.
You can't make contact with the other player.
You can't make contact with the net to a certain degree.
I mean, there's a lot like, and then you're expected, you're, how many feet in the air
or how many inches in the air and you're going up against a, you know,
potential, I mean, you could say potentially a high school all American or I mean,
gosh, he's going to Pepperdine.
He was first team all state as well.
Yeah.
Okay.
So, wow.
And then describe the reaction from the crowd and from your team, like when all that
have, if you could pure, pure excitement, pure adrenaline.
It was like, you mentioned before, it was literally like a movie scene.
Like that fifth step being down for, I was in my head.
I was actually thinking, this is literally a movie, like we're going to come back.
We're going to win this.
Sure.
Just like classic, inspirational movie stories.
So in that moment, where we blocked it, it's, I was throwing my hands up in the air.
The whole crowd was like screaming, jumping around.
Chris Rimer, our libero was trying to hug me.
I was like, I kept pushing them away because I was like, celebrating it, but he just
wanted to hug me.
Sure.
It was like, it was such an amazing moment that like, I'm never going to forget.
It was, it was amazing.
That's me.
So they was a big everyone.
Eventually they have you on their shoulders, are you guys all just kind of hugged together
and we just hugged together.
No one, no one was on the shoulders.
Was the classic dog pile in the middle of the floor?
Yeah, the kids, the fans cleared the bleachers and all of that and it was, you know, as
a coach, it's what you want to help your team accomplish is to create these types of
experiences that'll allow them to taste.
Being a champion at a very difficult level, it's what makes it feel so great.
So speaking of movies, Nick, my wife and I went on a date the other night we saw the boys
in the boat.
I saw that too.
Yeah.
Did you have you read the book?
I guess name's Daniel James Brown.
I plan on reading it.
You really should because there's so much more to the story.
Yeah.
The book's always better than the movie.
The movie was a great adaptation.
George Clooney directed it and it, have you seen it yet, Joe?
I have not.
I've only seen the, you appreciate the trailers on the TV.
Oh, wow.
But it's also to you yourself to read the book should be on display at the Watch Up Public
Library or just right around the corner here.
But I really, and I'll be happy to lend you my copy if they're out there at the library.
But it is a great, it's amazing.
It's a lot like sea biscuit for horses and it's a, but I, there's so many common themes
between that Washington, that University of Washington team that was all, they were all
kind of blue color kids, lumberjacks kids, Boeing, you know, assembly line workers, kids,
and it was during the Depression.
And they took on the, you know, crew as you know, still very much as an Eastern, like blue
blood sport.
And this team, you know, they took on the very best in the sport to win the national championship
and then went on to win gold.
And they were, yeah, you know, I mean, I don't ruin it for you, Joe, but read the book
too.
But what they did to win the gold too was like, again, against incredible odds given some
of the politics and where they were positioned when the race started.
But just amazing stuff.
And it's neat to see, you know, those, those young men were part of the greatest generation.
Like there's a line in the book where the author Brown, towards the end of the book,
he goes and he sits in the exact spot where Hitler sat when he saw this race, when he
saw the Americans winning, like in photo finish, by the way.
And the author wondered to himself, if Hitler had any idea that this group of young men
were a sampling of the men and women that would bring his, his empire of, you know, tear
or down, this greatest generation, it's neat to see a lot of that character alive and
our young men and women that are doing so much great things in the classroom and on the
playing fields of Waukeshaw, you know, high schools.
Yeah.
When you think about most people, you know, you get to watch a game and you get invested
in that match or game and you see the finished product, as a coach, I get to see the struggle
and the strife and the anxiety and all of that other stuff that happens through practice
as you're trying to develop a skill and master the skill and then execute under pressure.
It's, you know, it's awesome to see.
It really is.
Yeah.
So it's like, you're living that movie in a lot of ways, you know, you know, Nick mentioned
the boys on the net.
Yeah.
Nick mentioned, you know, we brought in a mindset coach, which is something that Kelly Sheffield,
they spent some time with him over the summer and understanding what they're doing in their
gym and how given the resources we have, how could we develop that in our gym and it's
a huge impact for us to have really invested in that area on our team.
So I love it.
And it's paying dividends now for several basketball teams.
That's great.
Hey, we come back from these important messages more on Wakshaf Fusion on a memorable year
in other highlights from 2023.
And then high school game of the week starts up again January 12th.
Looks like it'll be Kettle Marine at CMH.
That's two Fridays from yesterday.
So more on that, we come back from these messages here and this week in Waksha.
We're not going away.
Look, even though it's on point.
Those are the dreams we're made of.
Oh.
Hey, we're back.
This is Wakshaf.
And Nick Wingenheimer picked out the artist Van Halen or Van Hagar with dreams.
That's what dreams are made of.
I forgot to mention the song from the previous segment, the walk out song, if you will,
was The Weight by the Band.
And that's a note to Robbie Robertson of the band who passed away at the age of 80 around
the same time Gordon Lightfoot did, like late summer or maybe early fall.
And he's finally remembered one of my favorite artists, one of my favorite bands.
And speaking of movies, if you haven't, you have to see the last waltz.
You want to see some real Americana, an all-star cast of musicians there for the band's last
concert, which is a movie made by Martin Scorsese did an adaptation of the movie.
And one of the few recorded, they did a few recorded songs in addition to the live concert.
And one of them, when they did The Weight, that song you heard, they did it with the
staple singers.
So it's a must see if you haven't seen it already, the last waltz.
So but I'm also proud to have here in the office of former Alderman, Tom Paul Brown, my
chief of staff, Johnny Watermel, has come into pick up some gear and he says hello or
a hood, everyone.
And Johnny sport a new mustache or two, it's looking good.
He's kind of looking like, got a cross between Joe Stalin and, I'm trying to think, oh,
no, what's the dude's name?
Sam Shepherd?
No, not Sam.
Sam Elliott, the actor.
Yeah, there you go.
It's got a little bit of that in him.
So a little bit of Joseph Stalin there.
So be careful with Johnny.
No.
Anyway, I am back here in the studios here, 217 Wisconsin Avenue in the old NAMI building.
And my guest again, our national coach of the year, Joe Bansky, also the coach of the
sectional champion and, and, and classic eight coach champion fusion.
And one of his all state, what's your official role on the team, Nick?
Is there a name for you?
Like, middle blocker.
Middle blocker.
I love that.
That is bad.
A, asterisk, asterisk.
So Nick Bingenheimer, a senior at Waukesh on North.
So who's going over some attractive opportunities to play volleyball and get a great education at
the next level upon his graduation this June.
So the sun is popping its way out here.
If you haven't looked out the window yet, it is a beautiful Saturday morning and weather's
been very kind.
We didn't have the white Christmas that many of us, including myself, were a man of size
about, but it was nice for people to get around and connect with family and friends during
this holiday season or just enjoy the fresh air.
So some one quick announcement and put it on your calendar.
There's time to plan at February 16th, Maxing Radio, which you hear live on Saturday nights
will be live and local at Maddie's here in downtown Waukeshaw.
Maddie's is located at the old Mads Dintest where that was located there.
So put that in your calendars.
That's a great night.
Live music.
That's also recorded here or that you can catch here at 101.1 FM Waukeshaw and that's me.
So a quick shout out to the CMH alumni and friends basketball tournament that brought out
some impressive talent to the courts yesterday.
They had a great group of teams that put their all into every game.
The championship was a nail blighter and went down to the final second congrats to the
winning blended alumni team.
Great idea with members from 94, 04, 07 and 16 that took home championship jerseys and
bragging rights.
So I think that's a great concept like to see maybe our other high schools do that, especially
with Julian Swartz back in town, him and his brother Billy were my guest earlier this
month, celebrating three generations of Swartz families in Waukeshaw, South and in Waukeshaw
district to and but I also know when North plays South in a basketball rematch, which
will take place at South North, one the first one at their house, that'll, I believe it's
that game that they're going to celebrate the fusion volleyball team.
Is that correct?
Correct.
Yeah.
We're going to raise the conference champion banner at South.
That's on February 1st.
Wow.
And it'll be a great opportunity to shine a light on the the fellas and let them enjoy
having both schools that they each represent, be present as we raise that banner.
So looking forward to that for sure.
That is terrific.
And then also Carol University, women's basketball team, another exciting team to follow.
They defeated have referred 7438 at a holiday tournament in Guaynabal, Puerto Rico yesterday.
That was Olivia Rangel, let all piles of 14 points.
She was one of four piles to score double digits along with Emily Whiz-Wizner, Chloe
Halverson, Ryan Went and Anna Nielsen.
The piles advance to nine and three on the season and I believe they're more games during
that tournament.
But everyone owes it to themselves to check out a pile basketball game, men's and women's
both are doing quite well and a lot of fun to be a part of.
So.
Yeah.
So in our second out, we're going to do a year interview.
We're going to remember a lot of highlights.
We've dedicated a lot of this first out.
We'll continue to do so with the fusion, men's volleyball team, the North South combined
team that, excuse me, have blessed us with two amazing years.
So many memories and you know, an earlier we talked about that.
Sectional championship against CMH, a classic for the ages.
And then you went to state and I know you didn't get as far as you'd like, but you still
went to state.
What was that like?
The thing I remember most about state is walking out onto that court, having like an ocean,
like two sides of an ocean of fans on either side.
The side closest to us was our fans and the other side was Kimberly fans.
It was an amazing experience being in a huge venue, being able to play under those bright
lights and for that many people.
So even if the outcome wasn't as good as we'd like, it was still an amazing match like both
of like we, both we and Kimberly played at a really, really high level and as who put
it as the epitome of youth volleyball, youth sports.
It was really an amazing experience to be able to play at that high level and that kind
of.
Yeah.
So you know, that's the thing is when you're playing at a high level and coaches say this
as a consolation, but it really is true when you when you look back at, you know, if you
give it, you're all, you know, that's what are the same fighting lights, clear eyes, pure
hearts that, you know, you're really, you know, even though you didn't make it over that
hurdle, the fact that you left it all there on the playing field on the floor in your
case, that there's still some very gratifying and rewarding about that knowing that you went
up against the best for sure.
Yeah.
I think the one of the comments that resonates with me about that match was the Kimberly
coach during his press conference offered up that believe it or not, we've played those
guys two other times in reference to us.
Yeah.
And every one of the matches went just like that.
These were, you know, full-length matches, all the points used up kind of moments.
So we come back for our second hour more with coach Joe Bansky and Nick Bingenheimer, the
Fusion volleyball team.
As this week walks, I continue to remember, in 2023, don't go away.