Giesen inducted into Hall of Fame

Werner Giesen was honored last week as the newest member of the New Prague High School athletic Hall of Fame.

Giesen, a 1971 graduate, received the honor during the school's annual athletic banquet Monday, June 2, at the Park Ballroom in New Prague.

Giesen played basketball and baseball at New Prague. He excelled in both, but it was on the basketball court where the 6-foot, 8-inch center really shined. In addition to All-Minnesota River Conference honors, he was named All-State twice and was a high school All-American his senior year. Giesen played college basketball at Winona State University, and his Warriors twice played in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics tournament. He graduated from Winona with a degree in speech communications and a minor in coaching.

He lives in New Prague with his wife Kathy. The Giesens have four children Brian, Beth, Anna and Tom, all graduates of New Prague. He has continued his involvement with Trojan athletics as an assistant basketball coach since the mid-1990s.

Athletic director Bob Scripture introduced Giesen, who talked about how some things have changed since he attended New Prague High School.

The basketball shorts aren't really shorts