New Prague girls relive their 2000 state hoops title
It’s been 25 years since New Prague High School’s girls’ basketball team made history with a Class AAA state championship described as a total team effort by a group that bought into playing together for their school and the community.
Sunday, Aug. 3, members of the team reunited for the first time in years to share more than just hoops memories and the experience and lessons they learned along the way.
While a replay of the 64-62 championship game win played on an overhead projector, the women, now in their early-40s, shared memories and caught up on what their teammates have been doing with their lives since graduating from high school. They were described as a close-knit group on and off the court. Some had children who seemingly didn’t recognize their moms on the court. That didn’t matter as much to the women as being together.
Dave and Susan Karan, parents of Cassie (Karan) Brooks organized the reunion via social media. Several of the former players said the reunion has been on their calendars for months.
“It’s like they hadn’t missed a beat. They’re still friends,” said former NP coach Ron Gunderson, the leader of the 2000 title team. “These kids worked hard, were unselfish and wanted to be the best they could be, whatever it was on the court and off it.”
They shared a toast to the late Al Schmitz, who coached the girls during the off-season in elementary school through high school. He prepared them for their ascension toward high school hoops. Cassie (Karan) Brooks recalled Schmitz was also a painter who quietly helped out a family in need every year by painting their house at no charge.
“I can’t thank you enough from the bottom of my heart. It means the world to me that we’re together again,” Kate (Ingebrand) Herman told her teammates gathered in a large room at Giesenbräu Bier Co. in New Prague.
The championship game itself seemed secondary to the reunion. They recall coach Gunderson’s calm approach at halftime telling the players to keep working hard and...
To see more on this story pick up the August 7, 2025 print edition of The New Prague Times.