NEW GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH: MATTHEW HOEPPNER

NEW GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH MATTHEW HOEPPNER; PHOTO BY GABI HENRIQUEZ

As the high school’s girls basketball team heads into a new season, they also are getting the opportunity to meet a new coach - Matthew Hoeppner. It’ll be his first year coaching here at Clear Creek Amana, but his 9th season as a Head Coach and his 20th overall. 

“When I saw this position had come open, I reached out to some of the people in the community that I knew and asked about the school, the program, and the ladies (on the team).” In the end, he found he and his wife were very similar to the people here at CCA, especially the girls basketball team. They have a constant drive for success  in everything they do, from school, to basketball, to their personal lives. From this, Hoeppner decided “...it was a place I [he] wanted to be.” 

In the time that Hoeppner has spent with the team so far, he finds that he looks forward to “...seeing the drive towards perfection that the ladies have.” Their attitude is optimistic and perseveres: “In years past, there are times as a coach you say, ‘We had a bad practice today.’ Here, it isn't that way.” Things that might’ve caused a ‘bad practice’ years ago, such as a missed shot or accidental slip up, only drive the girls forward. They reflect on their mistakes, and think about what they can do better next time. “They will not allow themselves to fail in any aspect of basketball if they can help it. It is refreshing to see this [passion for correction] happen on a consistent basis with our team.” 

Hoeppner is excited to see where this team is headed. He’s already started to think about what to teach the talented CCA girls basketball team. “As I evaluated the team going into this season, I wanted to teach the girls how to play team defense.” Yet despite knowing what he wanted to focus on, Hoeppner took it upon himself to ask the team what they thought. “...the overarching answer was 'Everything'.” He emphasized the teams persistence based on their desire to improve, expressing that “These ladies just want to get better and better at basketball in general…” They also just “want to improve themselves and their teammates on a daily basis.” 

He clarified though, that “We talk about striving for perfection, knowing that being perfect in a game of basketball is virtually impossible, but if we attempt to be perfect at everything we do, we will continue to improve during that journey.” Keeping their ultimate goal of improvement in mind, the team held an in-season team camp to continue their hard work. In this camp, the girls built their own ‘Pyramid of Success’. “Essentially, that is the framework for how they are going to succeed this season.”

However, Hoeppner’s love for the game goes far beyond the CCA court. “I enjoy everything about sports including collecting sports cards and memorabilia.” Personally, he prefers the college level basketball teams, as they have a lot more excitement, community, and pageantry around them. He’s an Iowa fan at heart, but despite his preference for college basketball, he mentioned that at the professional level he cheers for the San Antonio Spurs. 

Sports isn’t all Hoeppner has his attention towards, as he has a daytime job as a Human Resources Business Partner at Serta Simmons Bedding. When he has free time, also likes to partake in video games. Most of all, Hoeppner said “I spend a lot of time outside of work with my wife, 6 children, and 7 grandchildren.”, all of which he had nothing but thank you’s for.

“There are so many people I could thank.” he started. “First off my wife for being so supportive of the time commitment that coaching entails. She gives up so much for this.” He also wanted to thank his family, including his mom, dad, and grandparents for teaching him the morals and worth ethic he upholds every day. “Thank you to my siblings, friends, and children for coming to the games and supporting my teams over the years.” Hoeppner also wished to thank both his own former coaches for showing him the way, “I am not where I am without learning so many things from them.”, and his assistant coaches from over the years, “including the two I have now, they are phenomenal.”

“Finally, I would thank the players. Nothing I have accomplished as a coach would have ever been possible without them.” 

Each year, Hoeppner finds himself grateful to coach such hard working athletes, not forgetting to mention the CCA team. “They are a great group of ladies that I am fortunate to be able to coach. They have really bought into everything we are teaching them and understand what it will take to succeed at a high level this year,”

Hoeppner will continue his hard work for his family, his job, and his passion here at Clear Creek Amana High School. With utmost confidence, the team and him will both flourish here, and the district can’t wait to see what they accomplish!