2014: Meet the Coach: Jennifer Wragge, Elkhorn

1. Where did you grow up? Where did you go to high school and college? What sports did you play in school?

On a farm near Bruning, Nebraska. I graduated from Bruning High School before going to Midland College. I played volleyball, basketball and track in high school and basketball at Midland.

2. How did you first get interested in coaching? Did you have somebody who got you excited about coaching as a career?

I have always embraced sports and athletics. I believe I knew I wanted to coach at a very young age. I was able to coach some youth mini-clinics and camps when I was in high school.

3. What would you have become professionally if not a teacher/coach? What appealed to you about that profession?

I really never had a back up plan. I would guess I would be in the business world. I always enjoyed helping people learn how to do a skill. It has always been rewarding to see someone learn from what I have taught them, and be successful.

4. Tell us about the most memorable game ever played by a team you coached. Who was it against, what was at stake and why is it your favorite? What about your favorite game as a player?

I have had many many memorable and enjoyable games. I would say that anytime we have been an underdog and won, it has stuck out. One of them as a coach was at the state tournament in 2010. It was our last year of two in Class A and we beat a very good Omaha Westside team in the first round. We ended up getting 3rd that year.

As a player... that was a long time ago! I would say beating Doane in 1996 when they were ranked No. 1 in the nation is probably tops for me.

5. How did you develop your coaching philosophy and what are some of the elements that helped shape it?

I think that I am forever changing my philosophy. I definitely taken many parts of my philosophy from my high school and college coaches. I was fortunate to have played at both levels for coaches who were very knowledgable, who taught the game and who were very passionate.

I consider myself a strong fundamentalist and defensive minded coach. I also have been fortunate to coach with some very good coaches who have helped me to add the elements of character development to my philosophy.

6. What do you believe are the three most important factors in building your program? Why do you say that?

1. Community. You have to have community support of not just your team, but also your school and other athletic teams.

2. Youth and middle school programs need to be in place.

3. Support, from administration, parents, other programs in our school.

You can work as hard as you would like, but if you do not have the three elements listed above, it is going to be extremely difficult to build "culture" in your program.

@HuskerlandBob Sez: Jennifer's teams have done plenty of winning since this was originally published, most notably when Elkhorn won the Class B state championship in 2018.