Seventh grader Corbin Weltzien goes up for two of his 11 points in the game against Seeley Lake Nov. 25.
Eighth grade Pioneer Owen Dry goes up for a layup at the end of the first half. Dry made eight of Potomac's 41 points against Seeley Lake Nov. 25.
Seventh grader Wyatt Dry makes a layup after a break-a-way during the game against Seeley Lake Nov. 25. Dry led the Pioneers scoring 13 of their 41 points.
Eighth grader Brandon Leathers put the first points on the board against Seeley Lake Nov. 25. Coach Gary Flomer said Leathers has stepped up and led the team this year.
POTOMAC – With only two losses for the season, the Potomac Pioneers Boys basketball A Team is looking forward to defending their Copper League Small Schools Championship title at this week's tournament. While their new coach Gary Flomer is happy with their success, his whole goal this year has been to have fun.
There were 11 boys that played this year for Potomac: three, eighth graders; three, seventh graders; four, sixth graders and one, fifth grader. Flomer was the head coach with Jake Nissen as the assistant coach.
This was Flomer's first year coaching in Potomac. He coached his son, who is now a junior in college, when he was junior-high aged for four or five years in Seattle, Wash. Having a daughter in eighth grade at Potomac School and knowing about his past experience, he was approached about coaching this year when the past coach was unavailable.
"I decided to give it a try and I've really had fun," said Flomer.
Flomer did not know any of the players except one and they did not know him. He saw it as a fresh start for everyone.
"I think it was to their advantage to come in with a new coach that didn't have a preset idea of what everybody can and can't do," said Flomer. "It gave them the opportunity to prove themselves, for lack of a better term. Maybe last year they were stuck doing something they didn't want to do and felt they could do something better. This year, they had a chance to prove it because they had a new coach."
Flomer said his coaching strategy focused on having fun. He has gotten to know what the players enjoy doing and what they don't. From this he developed drills that the players like and limits the stuff that the team does not enjoy doing.
"Obviously, winning games helps but my goal is for them to have fun and for them to want to come to practice, want to come to the games," said Flomer. "I don't want them to think it is a chore, like they have to do it."
Flomer said the hardest things for him to balance were developing the younger players while challenging the older players.
"I've got 11 kids that are four years apart. The level of play is different," said Flomer. "It is a fine line between teaching the younger kids the skills and keeping the older kids interested."
Flomer said the players caught onto the plays he gave them and ran them well. However, instead of focusing on plays, he emphasized beating the other team down the court.
"The first day of practice, they were walking the ball up the court and I said we don't do that," said Flomer. "I want you running and I want you running hard every time we get the ball."
The team excelled and Flomer said he has been really impressed with how much effort they have put forth. With only 11 players playing two games, those that have to play both games, especially the seventh graders, get tired.
Flomer said he has really relied on eighth grader Brandon Leathers. Leathers took instructions from the coaches, started drills and was the team leader this year.
The Pioneer's B Team went undefeated.
The A team lost to MIS in the first game of the season. Flomer said every player on MIS was taller than Potomac's tallest player since eighth grader Owen Dry hadn't joined the team yet.
The second game of the season was the same thing - Clinton towered over the Pioneers. However, Potomac came out with the win because they were faster down the court.
Dry joined the team after the Clinton game so Potomac finally had some height. They won every game until they faced MIS for the second time Wednesday, Dec. 4. Dry got into foul trouble in the first half which ended with Potomac 15 points behind. The second half, the Pioneers came back to within six points of the win, 34-40.
Flomer hopes to meet first-seeded MIS again in this week's tournament in the championship game. To get to the Championship game, Dec. 12 at 5:15 p.m. at Hellgate High School, Potomac will have to beat Seeley Lake and MIS will face the winner of Clinton versus DeSmet. Both games were on Tuesday.
"Being a small team at a small school, I think they have done a great job of overcoming [the height disadvantage]," said Flomer. "Their attitude has been really positive and their effort has been fantastic."
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