JWP Boys Basketball

Janesville Waldorf Pemberton Head Boys Basketball Coach

[William Payne @TweetsbyCoachP]

True growth as an individual player, often doesn’t happen in “practice”. It often occurs on your own time! The extra time you’re willing to put in. The hours of shooting, the hours of hitting, the hours of lifting, the hours of pitching. Outside of practice.

[William Payne @TweetsbyCoachP]

One of the biggest misconceptions in high school sports is that coaching is primarily about practices, games, and wins.

The reality is that coaching has become one of the most challenging roles in education because coaches are expected to wear dozens of hats while being evaluated from every direction.

Every parent, player, administrator, and community member often has a different expectation of success.

One family wants college recruiting to be the priority.

Another wants playing time.

Another wants winning.

Another wants player development.

Another wants discipline.

Another simply wants their child to enjoy the experience.

The challenge is that those goals frequently conflict, and coaches are often expected to satisfy all of them simultaneously.

Most coaches are balancing far more than what happens between the lines. They manage team culture, player conflicts, parent concerns, academics, transportation, fundraising, budgets, equipment, scheduling, eligibility, social media issues, and the emotional needs of teenagers.

At the same time, every roster includes athletes with different abilities, goals, motivations, and commitment levels. Some dream of college athletics. Some are trying to make varsity. Some simply want to belong. Building one program that serves all of them is incredibly difficult.

Perhaps the greatest challenge is decision-making.

Who starts?

Who plays?

Who sits?

Who travels?

Who gets moved up?

Who gets cut?

Every decision creates opportunity for one athlete and disappointment for another. Even well-intentioned decisions can be viewed as favoritism or politics when seen through the lens of an individual family.

Recruiting adds another layer of complexity. Coaches are expected to help athletes pursue college opportunities while also managing the needs of an entire team. Supporting one athlete can sometimes raise questions from another family about their child’s opportunities.

Social media has amplified many of these challenges. One lineup decision, one difficult conversation, or one emotional moment can quickly become public discussion, often without the full context.

There are also pressures many people never see.

Pressure from administrators to represent the school well.

Pressure from parents to provide opportunities.

Pressure from athletes to help them achieve their goals.

Pressure from communities that often measure success by wins and losses.

Pressure to retain athletes in an era of increasing transfers and movement.

And all of this occurs while coaches are trying to develop young people, not just athletes.

What makes coaching difficult is not that people don’t care.

It’s that everyone cares deeply, but often about different things.

Parents focus on their child.

Players focus on their opportunities.

Administrators focus on the school.

Communities focus on results.

Coaches must somehow balance all of those interests while making decisions they believe are best for the team.

As a former college coach, athletic director, and high school administrator, I’ve learned that most coaches are not trying to hold athletes back, play favorites, or make life difficult for families. Most are simply navigating competing priorities, limited resources, and difficult decisions while trying to do what’s best for kids.

Because at its core, coaching has never really been about managing games.

It’s about managing people.

And that’s what makes it both incredibly challenging and incredibly important

[JWP Bulldog Activities @JWP_Bulldogs]

Congratulations to Jeffrey Simonson who was crowned Player of the Year for the Gophers Conference Golf Championship after completing 4 18-hole tournaments and remained in first place through them all!

The boys team finished 4th overall and Abby finished 9th individually!

[JWP Bulldog Activities @JWP_Bulldogs]

Today we recognized 5 student-athletes that signed their National Letter of Intent to play a sport in college. These five students are not only leaders on their teams but also within our community and will do great things as they begin a new chapter of their lives!

[MN BB Coaches Assoc @MN_BCA]

The MBCA welcomes 2028 Gavin Bauer, 6'3", Janesville Waldorf Pemberton, as MBCA 2026 June Scholastic Event DI Showcase registrant; June 12-13 at White Bear Lake Area HS.

[Ryan James @RyanJamesMN]

"The Minnesota All State Team"

We give you the best of the best in the state of Minnesota in our All State Team

@NorthstarHoops https://t.co/EXV5ZQb6K2

[Ryan James @RyanJamesMN]

"Section by Section: Senior of the Year"

The best seniors in each class, our player of the year for each section.

@NorthstarHoops https://t.co/U2Z6h5WhMF

[JWP Boys Basketball @jamesnick31]

@Gavinbauer123

[Ryan James @RyanJamesMN]

"Section by Section: The Section Players of the Year"

We give you the section players of the year in every section in the state of Minnesota. Deserving talent in all corners of the state.

@NorthstarHoops https://t.co/fbqfd9Baev

[Ryan James @RyanJamesMN]

"Section by Section: The Section Players of the Year"

We give you the section players of the year in every section in the state of Minnesota. Deserving talent in all corners of the state.

@NorthstarHoops https://t.co/fbqfd9Baev

[Shawn Fury @shawnfury]

Of course I wrote 4,000 words about the 2026 JWP basketball team. Why wouldn't I? They won 30 games! They got 2nd in state! And they made a long winter easier to take with a joyful brand of ball. Thanks to @jamesnick31, @Gavinbauer123 and the whole team.

https://t.co/BuZIwXQ6uB

[Minnesota State High School League @MSHSL]

Hills-Beaver Creek wins the Class A Boys Basketball state championship!

[Ryan James @RyanJamesMN]

Hills-Beaver Creek and Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton fans are wild in Williams Arena right now. Loud, fun atmosphere with a good Class A crowd to get Championship Saturday started!

[Ryan James @RyanJamesMN]

Hills-Beaver Creek has some strong, strong frontcourt players that are having their way with a JWP team that is not winning the weight room contest.

HBC up 11-3 with junior Riggins Rhaeult scoring a quick seven (mostly at the foul line)

[Ryan James @RyanJamesMN]

Hills-Beaver Creek has to have the strongest starting five of any team in Minnesota, any class. Every single one of these kids has yet to miss a two-a-day

HBC up 16-6 on JWP

[Ryan James @RyanJamesMN]

Hills-Beaver Creek moves the ball really well and they are just playing bully ball. JWP can do nothing with their size/strength. And when JWP tries to be physical the whistle is lighting quick.

No idea how this momentum can change at this pace.

[Ryan James @RyanJamesMN]

And now Hills-Beaver Creek is kicking out and hitting threes. Back to back triples from Edduardo Wegener and Micah Busch. It's 28-6

[Ryan James @RyanJamesMN]

JWP hadn't scored in eight minutes and when they finally do its on an accident bank shot three.

[Ryan James @RyanJamesMN]

Hills-Beaver Creek defense just held JWP to nine first half points. NINE. JWP is 3 of 24 shooting with seven turnovers.

And now the Patriots are headed to the Williams Arena weight room to do some curls before the second half.

[Ryan James @RyanJamesMN]

Hills-Beaver Creek 32
JWP 9
half.

HBC. Jamin Metzger 8pts/6rb (4-4fg), Riggins Rheault 7pt/6rb (5-5ft), Brodie Metzger 4pts/5rb/2stl, Micah Bush 5pts/3rb (2-8fg)

JWP. Gavin Bauer 4pt/2bl (2-5fg), Daulton Bauer 1pt/7rb (0-5fg), Caleb Quast 1pt (0-6fg)

[Ryan James @RyanJamesMN]

JWP's strength is their quick transition game and we are starting to see it get going here with three quick buckets in two minutes.

JWP closes gap to 15-33 vs HBC