On March 2nd, 2024, we hosted the eighth annual Zanderthon Throw-Down which also saw the debut of UW-Stout and a little bit of round robin to end the day. We started off the very slow and did not look like ourselves and played an ugly first point. However, after waking up, we really started to flow and work as a team to get the job done. We quickly went up 4-0 and coasted to the end of the game. In the game against our Alumni squad, we didn’t have quite the outcome we expected. We held our own but at the end of the day the old timers turned back the clock and took us to school. To finish the day, we played a mini 6v6 style round robin that showcased smaller teams of individuals and put a fun twist on the end of the day.
Here’s what some of our players had to say:
Hollie Wheeler (Rookie)
How do you feel the tournament went?
After attending the UNL tournament film review session earlier this semester, I felt that this tournament went well based on my limited experience with these events. UW-Stout and the Alumni played hard, but UW-Platteville had their heads in the game and played well. It allowed for numerous newer players on UWP and UWS to gain experience and see experienced players and Alumni play and offer them tips.
What are some of the big takeaways you have from the tournament?
Being in a tournament really reinforces the idea that this is an intensive team sport. The team’s communication, encouragement, and passion really came to light. There is always room for improvement on both the individual and team level, so one big takeaway is witnessing how feedback can be applied on both levels. The fundamentals are very important, and I really enjoyed seeing aspects from our practices and drills come to life on the court. It really shows how our efforts translate to games against various opponents.
What are you looking forward to for the rest of the season?
I am looking forward to personally improving my performance so I can better contribute to the team on the court. One of the best ways to learn is to see examples and learn from more experienced players in action. I look forward to getting more reps, playing more games, and participating in the next tournament.
What was your favorite moment(s) of the tournament?
Watching the 6v6 matches was very entertaining because of the mix of players and faster paced games on smaller courts. This setup forced players to be closer together meaning they had to really communicate and watch every opponent carefully. Watching new, current, and graduated players have fun and show off their skills was really cool.
Caleb Laux (Captain)
How do you feel the tournament went?
I think that this tournament gave our team some much needed experience for our younger players. We also got to give Stout a taste of the league.
What are some of the big takeaways you have from the tournament?
We were able to recognize some of our weaknesses and we have a goal for continuing to improve the rest of the season.
What are you looking forward to for the rest of the season?
I’m hoping to turn some heads at nationals, this team can do it and I’m really looking forward to seeing it happen.
What was your favorite moment(s) of the tournament?
I was really happy to play in the 6v6 with my two siblings, Abby “Rose” and David. David is going to be a great rookie next year and Abby’s team will have made some great progress by then as well.
We want to thank our Alumni members and UW-Stout as well as everyone who came out to support us at our home tournament and made it the spectacle that it was. We also want to wish UW-Stout luck with the rest of their season.