Former Lady Railers put the FUN in Fundraising

 

[April 04, 2023] 

If you followed the 2022-23 Lincoln Lady Railers basketball team then you know that as the season went along a group of former players started showing up in full force to support the current team as they wrote their own chapter in the history of LCHS girls basketball. It is a history that began just over 50 years ago when the first Lady Railers team took the court after the passing of Title IX.

March 13, 2023 is now a special date in school history as it marked the first time ever that former Lady Railers from each decade gathered at Roy S. Anderson to participate in an evening filled with skills competitions that showed these ladies have NOT lost their competitive edge. Also on display was fantastic memorabilia that gave current players and fans a glimpse of the glory days. Of course, the 1978 and 1999 state teams are widely-known to basketball fans, but from that very first undefeated 1972-73 team to the 2022-2023 team that lost their only game of the season in the state championship, there have been a lot of talented athletes that filled the rosters of the Lady Railer basketball program.

So to say that the evening of March 13th was a special one, is truly an understatement. These women, who dedicated their efforts to benefiting the current team, really came together on that Monday night to put the fun in fundraising with a competitive drive that spans across 50 years.

Trust me when I say these ladies have not lost their energy, their drive or their passion for the game they so love. The only difference now is they can sit at Spirited Republic with their coaches and have a cold beverage while enjoying the friendships and memories they hold so dear to their hearts. These women have seen and experienced a lot of changes to the game of basketball in their era. One thing that was crystal clear on this night is that they truly remain at the top of their game with love and enthusiasm for each other on and off the court. Just like the 2022-23 Lady Railers, that’s very special.

So with the intent to raise money for the current team, dozens of women gathered to join forces with the help of current players and together the entire night was a huge success. The idea started in a group message among members of the 1999 team and quickly turned into a night of financial success.

In fact, the former player that spearheaded the event, Kim McCuan King, mentioned that every locally-owned business that was approached for a donation responded with, “Who do we make the check to?”

When asked about the event, King enthusiastically responded with, “It was awesome! I had so much fun. Our team had not seen each other in person for about five years. We did a reunion for the 20th anniversary of our team going to State. So to be on the floor together and play was awesome. And then for my sister to be there and for my daughter, Reese, to come home was awesome. And for Coach Ed Moore to be there, it was great. It was fun to see the parents come too. It was just like the old days when your family came to see you play.”

 “I loved seeing the older alumni compete,” continued King. “I loved seeing their faces, just being on the floor. I loved watching them run out when they were being recognized as a team and just high-fiving and listening to all of their accomplishments. Because as a younger player, I didn’t know all of their accomplishments. I didn’t know all of those ladies and what they had done in their careers so I thought it was great. I had so much fun.”

King also loved the enthusiasm and competitiveness of those athletes that came before her and her teammates.

“I love how competitive they all still are,” said King of those athletes from the 70s and 80s. “You can tell these ladies are athletes. They still have it. And everybody wants to compare all the teams, the ’78 team, the ’99 team and the 2023 team. When you hear everybody start talking, you hear things like, “Well, we didn’t have a class system.” There is still that little competitive edge to their voice when they talk about those days. Or like when Stacey Cook says, “We didn’t have a three-point line. Look at what we did and we only had two-pointers.”

“I love that they still get fired up about their team and their era and how good they were,” said King, with excitement in her voice “That was fun to be around and to listen to.”

Speaking of fun, watching the participation of these ladies in the following events was a blast. Also noted are the winners of each event.

Speed Dribbling Contest ~ Reese McCuan was the winner with a time of 10.09 seconds.

*It is worth noting that Steph Reichle came in second with a time of 11.24 and Angie Bossingham Eskra was third with a time of 11.97.

Knockout Competition ~ Reese McCuan beat her mom, Kim, in this competition. Reese is a freshman in college. Youth was on Reese’s side, although with the competitive nature that still burns inside Kim, she is probably still practicing baskets in the driveway eagerly awaiting a rematch.

Shootout Challenge ~ Angie Bossingham Eskra was the winner here, sinking the half-court shot with twelve seconds still on the clock.

Longest Granny Shot ~ Reese McCuan won this event with a granny shot from just over 32 feet away. Kim’s sister, Heather, also participated in this event as did one of the original Lady Railers, Ann Stribling Verderber. Verderber, sporting her blue sneakers while hitting the court like a teenager, delighted the crowd by making a granny shot herself.

3-Point Contest ~ Angie Bossingham Eskra continued to impress in the competition by sinking eight 3-point baskets. She won the event over Kim McCuan King, who sank six shots.

Before hearing some thoughts on the evening from a few of the participants, here is a list of the former Lady Railers who were introduced and met with a round of applause from the crowd:

Pam Musick Turner 1973
Jan Smock Malerich 1973
Ann Stribling Verderber 1973
Jane Quisenberry Ryan 1977
Debbie Jordan 1977
Jan Gleason 1978
Pam Allsopp 1978
Jane Conrady DuBose 1979
Barb Verderber Bowlby 1979
Jan Bowers 1979
Marla Sheley 1979
Gayle McRoberts 1979
Joyce Kelley Cook 1980
Stacey Cook Jackson 1980
Debbie Gilmer, manager 1979-1983
Lorrie Boch Paige 1983
Stacey Sparks 1987
Vanessa Gordon Tibbs 1987
Erin Smith 1989
Callie Veronesi 1988
Angie White 1990
Polly Snider Lutz 1990
Missy Hedrick Gaither 1990
Dana Ebelherr Bell 1991
Kim Davis Heitzig 1991
Carla Parke Lahr 1992
Michelle Williams Bauer 1995
Beth Reichle Stevens 1996
Heather McCuan Graves 1997
Erica Horn 1997
Steph Reichle Ambroson 1999
Kimberly McCuan King 1999
Michelle Young Fuiten 2000
Brittany Robbins Welk 2000
Sarah McLaughlin Ramlow 2000
Angie Bossingham Eskra 2000
Jenny Story 2000
Autumn Feldman Usalis 2000
Allison Humbert Wilkinson 2001
Megan Hoffert Bossingham 2005
Kate Schonauer Morris 2008
Chrissy Schonauer Fink 2008
Grace Bossingham 2018
Emily Paulus 2021
Reese McCuan 2022

Former coaches in attendance were:

Don Fults
Ed Moore
Jan Bowers
Jan Malerich Smock
Michelle Hobbs
Ann Stoltzenburg

Now here are some thoughts from a few former Lady Railers in attendance:

Jan Bowers

“It was an amazing night,” said Bowers. “The perfect culmination of an incredible season for the 2023 Lady Railers, and the long overdue reconnection of Lady Railer Alumni from the past 50 years. The moment you walked in the gym you could feel the excitement with the former players and coaches laughing and reminiscing about the good old days.”

“The “50 years of Lady Railers Basketball” that Stacey Sparks put together was phenomenal,” continued Bowers. “It truly captured the history, the memories, and the pride of being a Lady Railer.”

Sparks gathered newspaper clippings, photos and other memorabilia from the past and had it all displayed neatly on tables in the back gym at LCHS.

“The events that Kim McCuan King put together were a riot,” added Bowers. “It was fun to see Lady Railers of all ages, including some of “old-timers,” participating and showing that we may be older, but we still have a little game. I loved that the current Lady Railers cheered us on and got just as excited as we did with the competitions. The highlight definitely was Ann Stribling-Verderber making the granny shot. That definitely brought the house down.”

“I loved the picture of the 1978, 1999, and 2023 players and coaches, marking three generations of LCHS Lady Railers Final Four State teams. That was very special,” said Bowers. “But my favorite part by far, was the introduction of every player and coach who was in attendance. Hearing all of the team accomplishments, individual accomplishments, and favorite memories, truly put the whole evening into perspective, and once again reminded us that, “Once a Lady Railer, Always a Lady Railer,” and “Forever Proud to be a Lady Railer.”

Ann Stribling-Verderber

“The Lady Railer fundraiser was certainly a very well earned event,” said Verderber. “My sincerest congratulations to this year’s Lady Railers basketball team for their second place finish at the state championship game. What an outstanding season and accomplishment. We all look forward to next year’s season. The fundraising event not only was in celebration of this year’s team success, but the evening honored all the Lady Railers alumni. I had the distinct honor of being a member of the very first Lady Railers basketball team in 1972-1973. I was a junior then. And I certainly must thank Coach Jo Veile for heading the way for ALL the future Lady Railers. Many young athletes today, both male and female, may not understand the historical meaning of what it meant to be a member of that very first Lady Railers team. A federal law entitled “Title IX” gave girls and young women the legal right to participate in athletic competitions. Imagine that! A law had to be passed so we could play basketball, play tennis, hit a softball, etc. But LCHS followed suit and thus the female athletes were able to play organized athletics and compete with other schools…voila..just like the boys!”

“So the Lady Railer event meant more than many fans could ever imagine,” Verderber continued. “For all my teammates on that first team, we could finally get off the driveway shooting baskets and play organized basketball…in a gym! Amazing! And being a Lady Railer on that first team and others that followed gave us athletes an opportunity to also participate in college athletics. Many of us were able to receive athletic scholarships which gave us the opportunity to receive our college education. Title IX meant so much, how well my teammates know. I’m sure the young ladies on this year’s team understand and know the history that preceded them. The 1972-1973 team, led by Coach Veile, is the foundation for all the teams that followed. And I am truly honored to be a member.”

“To be on the court brought back such great memories,” added Verderber. “To be able to visit with Lady Railer alumni from the past 50 years was certainly special. I wish more could have joined us. For me personally, I’ve had some critical health issues. Three years ago I had to learn to walk again due to a brain tumor. So to be able to walk onto the court and toss in the Granny Shot meant more to me than you could ever know. For just a moment, I felt like an athlete again. What a wonderful evening in so many ways. My greatest thanks to all who helped bring back all the Lady Railers. What a historical, yet fun evening. Here’s to the Lady Railers next year and future Lady Railers!”

Barb Verderber Bowlby

“The Lady Railer alumni event was a blast,” said Bowlby, full of energy that rivals that of the Energizer Bunny. “Kim McCuan King, Stacey Sparks and many others worked hard to get current and past Lady Railsplitters together on and off the court. We had a fantastic time Monday night with friendly competition and we raised a good amount of money for the basketball program. I enjoyed visiting with the current players and showing them the pictures and articles that were on display. They were interested in learning about the history of girls basketball at LCHS. Friends, family members and fans thoroughly enjoyed the evening reminiscing and cheering on the competitors. I believe it’s the first time an event like this has taken place at the high school and many of us would like to do it again!”

Stacey Sparks

“Well, when Kim King came up with the idea back in early February for the fundraiser, I had suggested how about we do a 50 years of Lady Railer Basketball display,” said Sparks. “She told me she loved the idea and to run with it. So that’s what I did. It was a lot of work. I reached out to friends that had kids or played during certain eras to get news articles or pictures. Dana Bell was a huge help and she went through her scrapbooks and her brother’s yearbooks to cover several years and I did the same with mine. Everyone was extremely helpful when I reached out for pictures, especially Lynn Paulus. I made copies of the articles and mounted them to black poster boards, ordered enlargements of team pics and put them in frames so it would look nice. Several people added to it with memorabilia such as jerseys, trophies, medals, etc. I was happy with the way it turned out and everyone seemed to enjoy it. It was fun looking back through all those years of Lady Railer Basketball. I think Kim has gotten some great compliments about it. I thought the entire evening went great and we were able to raise some money for this year’s team.”

Steph Reichle Ambroson

“It only took one event on a Monday night to bring back all of the amazing memories of the good ole' LCHS basketball days,” began Ambroson. "It is hard to believe it has been 24 years since I stepped on the hardwood at Roy S. Anderson gymnasium for a high school game.”

“The alumni event was memorable in so many ways,” continued Ambroson. “Celebrating the success of the current Railer girls basketball team, enjoying a little competition with women of all ages who played in a Railer uniform, revving up the competitive juices we all still hold (well, most of us), and reminiscing and laughing with old teammates!”

“It was wonderful to see so many fans, parents and friends at the event, still showcasing their Railer pride and support,” said Ambroson. “I would love to continue these alumni events every few years! A huge thank you to Kim King and several others that put in a significant amount of time and energy to make the alumni event happen. It will certainly be a night to remember, and another great story to add to the storybook!”

Michelle Fuiten

“The evening was absolutely wonderful,” said Fuiten. “Of course, the idea came from a group message with my ‘99 team and Kim King ran with it. She came up with the whole evening and Stacey Sparks took over the history of the Lady Railer displays in the back gym. I was just there for the occasional “assist”! Kim was getting a little worried when no one was signing up for the competitions so she got on our group message, figured out who was coming, and signed us up willingly or not. It was so much fun! It was great to raise money for our current Lady Railer team so they can benefit from whatever they need next year and beyond. I really hope the current Lady Railers saw the bond that I still have with my teammates and the other teams have with each other even though we don’t see each other every day. Being on a team, especially a successful one, creates a lifelong bond with teammates and coaches. Even if we don’t see each other for years, we can always pick up right where we left off. And that was the highlight of the evening for me.”

Angie Bossingham Eskra

“The fundraiser was such a great idea,” said Eskra. “The ’99 team had only gotten together once before this event and it was so great seeing everyone. When we get together it’s like no time has passed. I am glad we could help contribute to the Lady Railers by raising money for the team.”

Finally, King added, “I could not have done this without a ton of help from Michelle Fuiten, Stacey Sparks and so many others. And I have to thank all the sponsors. They were all awesome. After Covid the team was not able to fundraise the way that they wanted to fundraise. The team never asked for any donations. The sponsors were so willing and eager to help out this team. It was so amazing. I was thrilled that there was no hesitation and people just wrote the check out.”

“I was so worried this wasn’t all going to come together,” said King, who really put together a monumental event in a short amount of time. “Like do people want to watch these alumni play these games,” she asked. “And they did and it was so fun. Everyone was just so grateful and then they were just super-generous in supporting the program. Sitting there counting money afterwards, it was just a humbling experience to see how generous people are.”

While the plan is to have this type of event again in the future, it might be a few years before the fundraising is implemented once again and the games are played again. King would still love to see the alumni get together more often, she said, even if it’s just to have dinner and conversation.

Thanks again to all who participated and donated to the Lady Railers basketball program. It truly was a blast and just like this year’s successful basketball season, it needs to be repeated again someday. With more notice, it’s a good bet these women will hit the gym practicing their granny shots and 3-pointers early on.

As of now though, we are less than eight months away from the 2023-24 Lady Railers season!

Please enjoy the great pictures captured by Lynn Paulus!

[Teena Lowery]