When Southeast Community College in Beatrice canceled its all-star basketball games for 2023, Jenny Wagner started thinking.
The activities director at Centennial Public Schools talked to other ADs at the Southern Nebraska Conference track meet in May. All were disappointed about the lack of opportunities to showcase their seniors.
One suggested all-star games closer to home, Wagner said. Centennial seemed to be the ideal host location.
“We don’t want to not let them have the opportunity,” Wagner said. “We think it’s worth it.”
The original thought was to pit conferences against each other, but that limited the numbers of athletes to choose from, since participants have to be high school graduates.
As the idea started to take shape, time ticked away. Wagner decided to take it on.
“If not now, when?” she said.
But, she said, if Centennial was going to do it, they were going to do it right.
First, they had to determine the area from which to draw athletes. A 75-mile radius of Centennial, not including the Lincoln metro or other Class A schools, was decided. That covered 90 schools.
“I was unsure of what the feedback would be,” Wagner said.
She created a form for coaches and activities directors to fill out for nominations. She sent over 300 to volleyball, girls’ basketball and boys’ basketball coaches, as well as the ADs.
“We got just under 150 nominations,” she said. “We have a good, vast array from different schools.”
Volleyball and boys’ basketball were the most, since numbers were down for girls’ basketball this season.
She texted more than 80 athletes to see if they were interested. They were.
“They’ll get to play with kids from new schools,” Wagner said.
Then came time to choose the coaches. Wagner looked at the 90 schools around Centennial and narrowed the list down to coaches who had been on the sidelines at state in the 2022-23 seasons. Head coaches were selected from them.
Assistants were based on nominations and teams’ records over the last three years, Wagner said.
“We have 24 different schools represented in the coaches,” she said. “We wanted to get as many different schools represented.”
She said many told her they couldn’t participate this summer but to include them in 2024.
Once the coaches were selected, they chose the athletes. Wagner met with the coaches over Zoom, and they picked 14 volleyball players per team, 10 girls’ basketball players per team and 12 boys’ basketball players per team.
“We didn’t split them into teams until we knew they could play,” Wagner said. “If the athlete said yes, they knew they were in.”
After the athlete list was done, Wagner and the coaches met again to divide them into teams. She said they tried to even out the teams so they would have good games.
Kids will practice and play the same day, she said. The volleyball game is Thursday, June 22, and the basketball games are Friday, June 23.
Each athlete contributed $100 – either from themselves or sponsors. The money helps pay for programs and game jerseys, which they will get to keep.
The funds, and the ticket sales, also help pay for athlete meals, officials, event staff and announcer Heath Kramer, Wagner said. Kramer is one of the voices of the state championships and is the PA announcer at Malcolm.
Choosing the event name was one of the tougher decisions, Wagner said. At first, she didn’t want to use the school’s name, but others she talked to remembered all-star events named after other schools. Eventually the Centennial Classic was selected.
Teams will be red and navy, not Centennial’s school colors of blue and white, she said.
So far, Wagner said, the feedback has been positive. Kids and coaches are excited to play with athletes from different schools.
“It’s an opportunity to provide for the kids,” Wagner said. “We want to have the best environment possible.
“I’m excited for a great opportunity for the kids.”
