Coaches invite NHS sports alumni to special night

Sonja Karp
NLJ Sports Editor
 
Calling all Dogie players, coaches, and managers, past and present!
This Friday, Jan. 7, at the Lady Dogie and Dogie’s home contest against the Torrington Trailblazers, head coaches Allen Von Eye and Chad Ostenson are hosting a Dogie Alumni Appreciation night at the Dogie Dome. 
“We are theming each of our home basketball games this year, and we wanted to put something together to bring in and recognize our past Dogie players, coaches and managers for this first game of the new year,” explained Von Eye. “The paths that were forged by our previous crews are a part of this legacy they have built, and we want to make sure they know we appreciate all they have done.”
Whether you were a part of a team last year, or many years ago, whether you laced up Air Jordans or Converse, whether your shorts were short and tight or long and loose, Von Eye and Ostenson want to take a moment to acknowledge the role you played in building the Dogie and Lady Dogie programs over the years.
As people come in, coaches would like past Dogies to sign in and indicate which team they represent, and when they played. Then, during half-time of both the girls’ varsity and the boys’ varsity games, those Dogies will be recognized.
“We really want to bring people back to the Dome and also be able to show them our new look this season,” Von Eye said. “Chad and I both talk to our current players about our past players quite a bit. They may not know that they are still a part of us, but once a Dogie, always a Dogie — so we just want to make sure that they know we still think about them and they still play a huge role in our programs.”
Currently, there is a plan in the works to have an informal meet-and-greet in the commons during the games where past players can mingle with each other and with the current members of each team.
“If nothing else, it’s a way to give past players the opportunity to catch up with each other,” Von Eye said. “We’d like to see everyone who played the sport for our school, who donned the black and orange, to
come so we can recognize and pay homage to them for all they have given to our programs.”
The Lady Dogies tip off against the Torrington Lady Trailblazers at 5:30 on Friday evening, and the men are scheduled to play at 7.
“Come and watch the current Dogie and Lady Dogie players battle it out in the greatest high school basketball venue in Wyoming — your very own Dogie Dome!”