For the past twenty years, the rhythmic squeak of sneakers on hardwood, the sharp echo of a referee’s whistle, and the roar of local crowds have served as the soundtrack for an organization that has quietly revolutionized youth basketball across Northeast Wisconsin.
The Great Lakes Ballers, a foundational youth basketball program dedicated to organizing high-caliber tournaments and competitive teams, is hitting a major milestone. This year marks the organization’s 20th anniversary and with it two decades of providing thousands of young athletes with a platform to develop their skills, find their passions, and compete at a high level close to home.
At the heart of this enduring program is founder Daren Sommerfeldt. What started as a spark of an idea back in 2006 has blossomed into a sweeping regional network that connects dozens of school districts across state lines. Sommerfeldt reflected on the history, the community support, and the ultimate mission that has kept the Great Lakes Ballers thriving for twenty years.
Every great organization has a starting point, and for the Great Lakes Ballers, it traces back to the fall of 2006 when discussions began about starting a program. Sommerfeldt was navigating the early stages of youth sports with his own family while simultaneously soaking in insights from the collegiate coaching world and his own local basketball chapters.
As Sommerfeldt notes, the definitive blueprint for the program actually stemmed from three distinct life experiences coming together at the exact right moment.
“The origin of this idea came twenty years ago and stemmed from 3 experiences for me,” Sommerfeldt explained. “The first came from my time on the Men’s Basketball staff at UW Oshkosh under Ted Van Dellen. Ted made a comment to me at a spring tournament we were recruiting at that club basketball was the way to go for high school level coaching for all of the obvious commitment and parent reasons. That stuck with me.”
The second spark came from his hands-on experience structuring local youth initiatives.
“The second thought was that after running the Little Bucs program at UW Marinette and building the youth program at Marinette, I knew going into it what worked,” Sommerfeldt recalled.
The final piece of the puzzle hit closest to home, born out of a desire to create a high-quality, cost-effective alternative to the exhausting travel loops that local basketball families were facing on a regular basis.
“The final item that clinched it was the birth of my two sons Jake and Sam and watching my players and parents travel on weeknights anywhere from Appleton to Randolph for practices,” Sommerfeldt said. “Put it all together and I thought, I think we can provide more opportunities for kids locally to play and play the right way at an affordable price.”
While Coach Van Dellen viewed the club circuit through a pragmatic lens, Sommerfeldt immediately saw an opportunity to uplift an entire region of young athletes closer to home.
“My standpoint in starting the program was that we could have an impact on more kids throughout a wider area rather than just one town. And that was always attractive to me. I wanted to give more kids more opportunities to get better at something and that just happen to be basketball in this case.”
In the early days, the organization experimented with its scope. There was even a brief venture into a different sport altogether before the program found its true calling strictly on the hardwood.
“We had a little bit of a run in with youth baseball for a while, but we got out of that after a few years, but basketball has been the main sport the whole time in the 20 years, and I think most of the people in the area appreciate the extra opportunities.”
As the reputation of the Great Lakes Ballers grew, so did the administrative demands. By the early 2010s, the program had expanded massively, fielding competitive teams across virtually every youth age bracket. It was a testament to the immense demand for basketball in the area, but it quickly became an overwhelming logistical puzzle for a single director.
“You know, we had teams, probably in early, 2012-13 area. Just one at every grade level, and that got to be a lot for me to manage. And so we kind of started to whittle that down a little bit because that was just too much for me to manage by myself and ended up just doing high school teams.”
By restructuring, Sommerfeldt was able to preserve the highest quality of competition. Today, the program continues to assemble a premier varsity squad each autumn while shifting its primary, year-round focus toward orchestrating widespread tournament circuits.
“We’ll continue that as long as we are able to, and there’s interest,” Sommerfeldt explained. “And then the real key right now is providing tournaments for 2nd grade through 12th grade, all the way through high school, almost year round in the summer, and then starting in November through March. So it’s year round in terms of planning for me.”
One of the defining hallmarks of the Great Lakes Ballers is its refusal to gatekeep the game. The program embraces players of all backgrounds, commitment levels, and future trajectories.
“We cater to everybody,” Sommerfeldt emphasized. “So if you see that list of kids that have gone on to play college basketball. We’ve had plenty of teams come to our tournaments the last few years where maybe their varsity season actually is their 8th grade season. That might be their last season. We’re happy that we can provide that opportunity and hopefully a positive experience for that skill level, as well as the higher skill levels. We just really try to create opportunities for everybody...”
This philosophy has allowed the program to build an incredibly broad tent. Whether an athlete is using the program to fill in for a weekend or spending their entire youth career in a Great Lakes Ballers jersey, everyone is welcome.
“Some of the kids just played a tournament or 2, just filled in,” Sommerfeldt noted. “And they were maybe involved in a bigger club program down south, and some, like my sons and their buddies, have played in like 50 to 60 tournaments for us. So, we’ve had a wide range of interest and wide range of commitment. We have just tried to accept everybody.”
For Sommerfeldt, the overarching victory of the past two decades isn’t measured solely in championships or college placements, but in the individual, personal growth of every child who steps onto the court.
“Beyond that, the greatest impact we’ve hoped to have this entire time and I believe we have, is to just allow kids to get better and have fun doing it!!” Sommerfeldt shared. “We have certainly have had a fair share of kids that have turned into all conference level players but we’ve also had kids that have improved enough just to be able to get playing time and play a key role. There’s been a lot of those too!!”
As the 20-year milestone approached, the recent waves of high school graduations got Sommerfeldt reflecting deeply on the sheer volume of athletes who used GLB as a springboard to the next level, whether on the court or in critical supporting roles at major universities.
“Last Fall’s Ballers have made their college hoops choices if they chose to,” Sommerfeldt shared proudly. “That got us thinking, how many kids have played with GLB the past 20 years including gone on to contribute in some way at the collegiate level. Some played for us in 50 tournaments, some just played in one or two. Some played through high school, some just played in their younger years before going to larger club programs. We appreciate all of the alumni. Coming up with a complete list of the few hundred kids who played for the Ballers will take more time but here’s a start as we approach our 20 year anniversary.”
•Dom Baxter – Gogebic Community College
•Devon Feck – Ripon College
•Jay Bahrke – Ripon College
•Carter Koch – Lakeland University (Transfer from UW-Eau Claire)
•Sam Sommerfeldt – University of Wisconsin (Head Basketball Manager)
•Jackson Flowers – Ripon College
•Will Gretzinger – Edgewood College
•Andrew Niemi – UW-Oshkosh
•Will Hornseth – Utah State University
•Trista Fayta – Illinois State University
•Pryce Gregoire – Northern Michigan University
•Kadin Baxter – Gogebic Community College
•Derek Shaw – St. Norbert College
•Jake Sommerfeldt – Carroll University
•Aidan Bellisle – Northern Michigan University
•Connor Smale – Bay College
•Connor Coduti – Bay College
•Peyton Mrotek – Lakeland University
•Jake Voss – UW-Marinette
•Brock Kueber – UW-Marinette
•Travis Giese – Lakeland University
•Carson Moe – UW-Stout
•Hunter Plamann – UW-Oshkosh
•Brad Spindler – Lake Superior State University
•Jack Farley – UW-Marinette
•Connor Heise – UW-Marinette
•Connor Nelson – UW-Marinette
•Marcus McKenney – Bay College
•Hunter Hass – UW-Marinette
•Zach Neumann – UW-Marinette
•Jordan Berth – UW-Marinette
•Reece Castor – Northern Michigan University
•Matt Wagner – Bay College
•Sawyer Koch – Viterbo University
The sheer scale of the Great Lakes Ballers tournament network is staggering. By anchoring operations out of Crivitz, Wisconsin, the program has capitalized on a perfect geographic sweet spot, pulling in competitive talent from deep within the Fox Valley all the way up through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
The diversity of competition has dramatically elevated the basketball IQ of local players, forcing them to adapt to entirely new styles of play.
“Last year we had... 70 different basketball programs attend our tournaments. So 70 different school districts, I should say,” Sommerfeldt shared. “And that’s out of a 100-150 mile radius. And that’s been the benefit of having it in Crivitz because it’s so centrally located.”
This geographic advantage creates a melting pot of basketball cultures that traditional, hyper-local school schedules simply cannot replicate.
“We’ve got Marquette, the UP teams coming down and then we’re drawn from the valley and some of the tournaments. Those teams don’t get to see that kind of competition all the time,” Sommerfeldt said.
Sommerfeldt is quick to deflect the credit for the program’s twenty years of endurance. The sustained excellence of the Great Lakes Ballers is the direct result of a dedicated community of varsity coaches, passionate parents, clinic leaders, and local advocates who stepped up to ensure the area’s youth were learning the game from knowledgeable minds.
“We had a tremendous amount of support to get it off the ground,” Sommerfeldt noted. “There are too many to list them all individually but I do want to mention Iain MacIntyre because he’s stuck with it even after his son wasn’t involved. He still helps out with some things and he was involved like a lot of the others at the beginning because their kids were involved. Iain continued beyond his kids and I appreciate his help.”
When looking back at the coaching trees and local instructional support that helped fuel the organization’s regional standard, Sommerfeldt highlighted several instrumental contributors:
•Nick Semenas, John Moe, and Jeff Baumann: A trio of elite coaching minds who brought varsity-level knowledge to the elementary and middle school ranks. “All 3 of those guys ended up being, if they were at the time, varsity coaches. John Moe ended up being a varsity coach, but they all got involved in actually coaching at the youth levels. Which I was always appreciative of having knowledgeable people coaching. And so they got involved and that was awesome.”
•Regional Varsity Allies: A network of area high school coaches who championed the program’s growth. “And then, you know, guys like Ryan Spalding at Peshtigo, John Ranallo at Wausaukee... Matt Joost and Connor Nelson at Marinette... those guys all were very supportive of getting guys involved.”
•The Coleman Connection: “Coleman had some really good teams a few years ago, Joedy Bintz was on board early on with his son and that group and did really well with, Coleman’s basketball program at the high school level and they got involved in the ballers very early on.”
•Special Guest Clinicians: The community outreach extended to highly sought-after trainers coming to town to work directly with the local kids. “Matt and Jordan McCabe came up from Kaukauna numerous times to run camps and clinics for all youngsters in a 100 mile radius. That was fun for everyone and very much appreciated!”
Reflecting on the combined efforts of these individuals, Sommerfeldt noted how this collective foundation cemented the program’s stellar reputation.
“We’ve had so many people that have been so supportive, whether it be coaching or raising money for equipment or whatever it may be, especially early on with the equipment. It just kind of has grown and grown and grown and grown and maintained itself just because of the good reputation that we have out there.”
Beyond the X’s and O’s, running an expansive tournament environment requires an immense logistical engine off the court. Sommerfeldt made sure to shine a spotlight on the crucial, day-to-day operators who keep the game environments fair and the tournament weekends running smoothly behind the scenes.
“Also want to thank all of the refs as well as my wife Rita and her concessions crew for all of their hard work,” Sommerfeldt added, ensuring the program’s backbone received its due praise.
The program has also officially grown into a multi-generational family operation, with Sommerfeldt’s sons returning to the court where it all began to handle tournament operations, officiating, and leadership roles.
“It’s been fun having Jake and Sam come back to ref,” Sommerfeldt stated warmly. “Jake has also helped with some coaching of our fall varsity team in Chicago as well as some organization at our youth tournaments. I’m hopeful that whenever my wife Rita and I are ready to retire from basketball, the boys will continue this in some capacity.”
The legacy of the Great Lakes Ballers extends far past the baseline, the final scores, and individual athletic achievements. For Sommerfeldt, utilizing the program’s strong regional platform to quietly uplift vulnerable individuals within the wider community has been an essential pillar of their mission.
Through a deep personal connection rooted in Sommerfeldt’s daily work outside the gym doors, the organization has turned its operational success into concrete community outreach.
“We have continued a relationship with the St John’s Homeless Shelter that started with my teaching position at Crivitz,” Sommerfeldt shared. “We make a sizable donation each year to support their work.”
The story of the Great Lakes Ballers isn’t just about looking backward—it’s about the elite squad carrying the torch right now. The current roster represents an exciting cross-section of regional talent, featuring proven upperclassmen alongside fast-rising underclassmen ready to make their mark.
•Bryce Piesler – Luxembourg-Casco | 6’1” | Senior
•Canton Chrisman – Wabeno/Laona | 6’0” | Senior
•Mason Colvin – Oconto | 6’2” | Junior
•JJ Pytleski – Oconto Falls | 6’3” | Senior
•Teagan Tate – Oconto Falls | 6’2” | Sophomore
•Deegan Kircher – Crandon | 6’5” | Senior
•Levi Hodgins – Peshtigo | 6’7” | Junior
•Miles Meyers – Crivitz | 6’2” | Freshman
•Landon Mrotek – Luxembourg-Casco | 5’10” | Sophomore
Digital Scouting and Looking Ahead
Even as Sommerfeldt steps back from managing individual youth club teams to focus entirely on directing the massive tournament landscape joking that he is “in retirement now right now” regarding creating new youth rosters, his passion for scouting and following his former players hasn’t waned a bit.
The explosion of modern digital streaming platforms has allowed him to turn his living room into a master control room for local high school hoops.
“Well, one of the things that I think everybody knows that has come out of COVID that’s really been beneficial is, the number of high school games now that are streamed, whether it be on YouTube or Hudl,” Sommerfeldt shared. “So when I have coached a lot of the kids, I’ve been able to watch their high school games. I’ll have 2 or 3 TVs on them. A lot of people know that. My wife knows that. I’ll have 2 or 3 TVs going or a laptop. And I’m able to watch multiple games and just, you know, kind of keep tabs on the kids that have been involved in the program at one time or another.”
As for the next twenty years? Sommerfeldt hopes the Great Lakes Ballers remains a permanent fixture of the Northeast Wisconsin sports community for generations to come, potentially keeping it right in the family.
“Yeah, it is [pretty cool],” Sommerfeldt concluded. “And I think hopefully we can keep it going and if I end up moving on, maybe Jake and Sam can continue it.”
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