Wooden Shoes Receive Big Welcome Home Celebration

(WOODEN SHOES COACH CHET REEDER)

The Teutopolis Wooden Shoes received a big Welcome Home Sunday afternoon. 

Following a fire truck parade through the village, a large crowd gathered in J.H. Griffin Gym for a ceremony emceed by THS Principal Tanner Lawson. 

Teutopolis Village President Dave Repking read a proclamation marking the day as Wooden Shoe Basketball Day in T-Town. That was followed by remarks from Teutopolis School Superintendent Matt Sturgeon on "What is a Wooden Shoe?"

Ed Kreke of the Teutopolis Sportsbackers offered thanks to a number of groups and individuals for their support of the basketball program. The senior cheerleaders also spoke, as did Teutopolis Athletic Director and Lady Shoes Varsity Coach Laurie Thompson, who praised the boys team, their coaches, and the good working relationship she has with Boys Varsity Coach Chet Reeder and his assistants, whom she termed "excellent role models". 

Jason Roepke spoke on behalf of all of the senior parents, noting the "bench antics" that kept things lively this season for the team and their fans.

(THE FIVE SENIOR WOODEN SHOES...CALEB BLOEMER, LOGAN ROEPKE, CALEB SIEMER, JAMES NIEBRUGGE AND BRENDAN NIEBRUGGE)

The senior players...Caleb Siemer, Brendan Niebrugge, Caleb Bloemer, James Niebrugge and Logan Roepke...offered comments and many thanks. 

(THE POSTSEASON HARDWARE AMASSED THIS SEASON BY THE 22-23 TEUTOPOLIS WOODEN SHOES BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM)

In Coach Reeder's remarks, he thanked the parents and families, who he termed "the key", revealed that as a highly superstitious individual, his blue pants didn't get washed since January 29th, the date of the Shoes' last previous loss prior to the semifinal game, thanked Laurie Thompson and Carla Deters for their tremendous assistance, and also thanked longtime Wooden Shoes coaches Lawrence Carie and Ken Crawford for their help along the way.

(CELEBRATORY CAKES FOR THE WOODEN SHOES)

In thanking his team and coaches Craig Toler, Dave Pruemer, Luke Ungrund and Chris Ungrund, along with grade school coaches Kent Niebrugge and Doug Smith, Reeder also thanked his wife Jessica and their two daughters for their love and support, and remarked, "I've got the best job in the world."