Ohio Lakers 8th Girls Gold wins 2017 Wooster Shootout championship!! TEAM Gibson repeats as 2019 Wooster Shootout Champions!!! 2-years in a row for this Team!!! INCREDIBLE!!!!

4th-5th grade girls runner-up in 2016 Y-Town Classic and 2016 Rising Stars tournament. Great job little "Lakers"!!!

7th Grade girls win 2016 Rising

Stars tournament. Lakers North defeated Xtreme 29-26 in championship game at Lake High School.

Who say's you can't win them all?

Heat won the 4th, 6th  and 7th grade girls division of the tournament. In fact in the 7th grade girls division the Heat finished 1st, 2nd and 3rd!

Amazing performance by the 2014 HEAT!!

Hello! Let me introduce myself, Dave Konczal founder of the Trumbull County Basketball Academy and co-owner of the Ohio Lakers with Chris Huckshold. I go into details on my coaching career on the page "Building a Champion" but to briefly summarize. I am 66 years old a 30-year high school girls coach, a 24-year travel basketball coach. I have had a son play and coach in our program, who now is a Psychologist. A daughter play and coach with the Lakers who  played on our team that went to Louisville, Ky and won the runner-up medal at the Roses,  and now in elementary education at YSU that coaches with us and lastly my youngest daughter who played with the Lakers. Come join the Lakers it is a great experience for you!!

Saw a great quote yesterday says way too much about todays day and age. 
Don't like your high school coach, transfer...don't like your JUCO coach, transfer...Don't play enough at school transfer...Don't like my TRAVEL TEAM jump ship, switch travel teams...Don't like my role...quit...What are we teaching our kids? STOP IT!! Be resilient, plant roots and FIGHT!!! 

 Heat former coaches and players in the College ranks today....

Eric Harper- McDonald HS/Akron U. former Heat 8th girls coach Duquense University Men' s staff former Milwaukee Bucks assistant, current Mineral Ridge head boys coach. 

Courtney Davidson- Ursuline HS/Michigan St. former Youngstown St. Coach currently assistant Hartford College, former Heat player.

Brian Sanson- Head women's coach Bethany College former Heat coach of AAU National team. Current Bethany College Athletic Director 

Rachel Durbin- assistant coach Amherst College New York

Jessica Vormelker - (Grand Valley) Thiel College

Katie Popovich- Canfield Head womens coach Bradley University

                                         2024 TRYOUT INFORMATION

Girls Saturday March 2 @ Columbiana High School

Boys Sunday March 3 @ Columbiana High School

High School girls and boys please report as soon as your school season is complete

updated information at ohiolakers.com

Practices start at Warren McGuffy  and Salem Community in March after the teams are selected please check ohiolakers.com practice schedule for up-dated days and times.

Also, please register at ohiolakers.com all girls players should check the box marked Trumbull County so their uniforms can get to the correct coaches and sites.

If not paying by credit card please bring a check or cash to Warren  or Salem on your scheduled practice date. YOU STILL MUST COMPLETE REGISTRATION ON LINE TO GET YOUR UNIFORM ORDERED AND FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES

Contact: Dave Konczal @ lakerbasketballkonczal@gmail.com

(330) 503-7132

or ohiolakers. com or trumbullcountybasketballacademy.com

Don Gibson (330) 509-4438

Craig Lobmiller (330) 219-5073

We have been asked "Why no fall tryouts in 2023, a lot of our area organizations are going that way" Quite simply unless you are an elite team, that is going to compete at national tournaments it is not needed" Elite teams line up their players way in advance. Elite teams do not have tryouts players are invited and selected from previous seasons.  Club and local teams do not. Let me ask you "why tie up $300-400 now for a team in February? That same team will take your son or daughter in February. What if you child changes their mind and decides not to play/ What if they are hit with a nagging injury? What if they are unhappy with the coach? I would not tie up my money now for a team in February and tournaments in March. Just my opinion. The Lakers/TCBA have been here now going on 24-years we will be here in February 2024. 

 Register on line at ohiolakers.com click the box marked WARREN/North  so we know you are coming from the North this is necessary to have your uniform at the right location! Practices move to multiple locations once teams are selected and assigned. 

** please remember HS and or Middle School  players can NOT attend open gyms or practice till their season is complete! You may register and order a uniform if needed-- you may watch tryouts. Non-varsity roster high school players, freshmen and reserve team members may attend tryouts and participate if they are not on a varsity tournament roster. 

Trumbull Heat and Columbina Lakers = One Organization for 2016 and beyond!!!!!!

Chris Huckshold of the Columbiana County Lakers and David Konczal of the Trumbull Heat have joined together in 2015 to form one organization. What will it be called? Well for now the northern branch will be the Lakers. 

What are the benefits  of this merger?

First and foremost the competitiveness and completing rosters of the teams. The merger will allow rosters to fill out at 10 players which will allow the teams eight to ten  full tournaments.  The merger will allow better quality players on each team. The Lakers and Heat used to compete over players now we will be sharing players!!!

Secondly, cost containment: Our insurance cost will be lower because of numbers. Gym rental costs will be lower, again because of numbers. Our organization will only pay for one practice per week per team because we are now entering into 5-7 tournaments starting in 2016.

Thirdly, our tournaments are now advertised and paid for on the Ohio Basketball web site!! Our first tournament  will be late March week,  called the East tournament on ohiobasketball.com and the original  Youngstown Classic the third week of April. 

Payment: We will now be accepting credit cards through the Lakers web-site for full and partial payment of all dues!!! This is done through ohiolakers.com  web site follow the on-site directions for credit card payments. You may still pay by check or cash to me at any-times as in the past.

All parents and athletes: check the ohiolakers.com for practice updates, also on tiwitter follow the ohiolakers and you will receive automated blasts for practice up-dates. Pictures from laker players during their school season and up-dated tryout information. 

YOU MUST PRE- REGISTER ON LINE AT OHIOLAKERS.COM SIMPLY CHECK THE BOX FOR TRUMBULL AND YOU WILL BE PRE-REGISTED, this covers your insurance and your uniform. You DONOT have to pay to register for tryouts

2016-2023 NCAA Showcase Tournament and college  information listed below!!!

 Heat/Lakers High School Girls attend N.C.A.A. Showcase event.

Lakers class of 2021 goes 5-3 at Roses in July 2019. Lakers finish runner up in championship bracket. The Lakers lost 54-48 in the championship to Des Moines Iowa in the Roses finals.

Team members:

Morgan Sharpe (Pymatuning Valley)

Maddie Howard (McDonald)

Mollie Howard (McDonald)

Liv Hutchings (Howland)

Taylor Lawerance (Howland)

Kylee McClain (Howland)

Megan Konczal (Howland)

Alexis Stephens (Howland) 

While many area clubs attend tournaments in Canton, Pa., Akron and the Cleveland area. The Lakers North attend the N.C.A.A. showcase event in Louisville Kentucky the weekend of April 15-17 2016,  and July of 2018 this was an N.C.A.A. evaluation weekend that was attended by over 300 Division I/II and III colleges who were able to see the girls play and each player now has a personal DVD for college recruiting. While other clubs do attend N.C.A.A. showcase events and sanctioned tournaments do they do it for a cost of $375?? Low cost best exposure HEAT/LAKERS 2024!!!

2020-2023 Girls 8th / 9th / 10th/11th  grade girls teams will be attended the NCAA  sanction RUN FOR THE ROSES TOURNAMENT -- July 5-9 in Louisville, KY. 

In 2019 over 360 College coaches DI-DIII attended to watch over 9000 girls compete at the highest level with over 1000 teams from 47 states. Join the LAKERS and you will be in Louisville, Ky in 2024 at this NCAA showcase. How great was Louisville in 2019? All eight girls that attend demanded we return for 2020! Four players received over 20 scholarship offer from the tournament.

Mollie Howard (2021) McDonald commited to IUPU

Nay Friar (2020) Niles commited to Penn St. Shenango 

Tanner Hoffer (2020) Crestview commits to Point Park Pittsburgh

Tiffany Barthlomew (2020) Cortland Lakeview commits to Hiram

Courtney Hivick- (2022) Grand Valley - Muskigum

Kylie Wilson (2022) Jackon- Milton - Marietta

Alyssa Sarinksy (2021) Western Reserve Bethany

Maddie Matthews (2022) Heartland Christian Thiel

2024 FEE IS $375 IF A UNIFORM IS NEEDED with out the uniform the cost is $325. Lakers will be going to black jersey in 2020. 

 Questions call Dave Konczal (330) 503-7132 or e-mail lakerbasketballkonczal@gmail.com  OR Craig Lobmiller at (330) 219-5073

 2023 O.H.S.A.A.

Reminders

O.H.S.A.A. rules rule 7 in basketball and rule 8 in general sports regulations make it clear that no more that THREE (changed in 2022) OHIO athletes can play on a team no matter were the team plays or were the team is located. There are NO substitutions permitted, so if one is out another can not be substituted. This rule is in effect for all players grades 7 and above!!! Coaches are expected to follow all O.H.S.A.A. rules. Penalties distributed by the O.H.S.A.A. do not effect the club or the coaches for violation of this rule, they effect the individual players. If your coach tells you otherwise they are not telling you what I have informed them!! After June 1st till August 30 there is NO limit on the amount of boys/girls from one school who can play on an A.A.U. or travel team.

Winning and losing?

Winning and losing in Spring basketball? Does it matter? We (T.C.B.A. and Mahoning Valley Eagles/ Lakers North) have been in this business for 23-years. Close to 3500 players have went through our organization.  We are the ONLY area club that has ever played in the A.A.U. Nationals in Orlando, Fla. in the winners bracket. In the past few years you can go to Disney if you play in an A.A.U. qualifier, back in the day we had to win the Northeast Ohio region to advance to A.A.U. Nationals, only 1-team in Northeast Ohio qualified. Now if you have the money you can go to A.A.U. Nationals. That high school girl's team was highly successful to advance to the National tournament, but how much better did it make them in the long term? Certainly players on that team improved and some had great high school careers, Jenny Place at Badger was Trumbull County Player of the Year, Erin Martin from Canfield went onto a great career at Cleveland St.and most recently Mollie Howard and Maddie Howard from McDonald.  But many players from teams less successful have went onto great high school careers, Crystal Naples from J.F.K., Lisa Moore, Rebecca Sylak, Rachel Durbin, Emily Carlson from Lowellville, Jami DuVall, Lynlee Cornell (Trumbull Co. Player of the Year), Katie Jo Mroski all from Hubbard, Courtney Davidson form Ursuline and Michigan St., Lashonda Allen from Labrae and North Carolina St., Darcy Quinlan, Ohio U.and Angela Cape, University of Dayton from Howland to name a few. All of these players went onto to successful  college careers. Why? They used spring basketball to become better players! None of these players played on elite championship travel spring teams but all used their time to become better players. That is what all of you should do, BECOME BETTER BASKETBALL PLAYERS.With two daughters involved in the program, one of my daughters played on one of our most successful teams, the youngest played on a team that struggles to win games. I think, in fact I am sure my youngest on a less successful team has learned more than my oldest on a very good team. Mary has learned more from losing than Megan from winning.  

2023 Information

"We Want You!!! to join us in 2022"

WHY?

++ what is and isn't Ohio Lakers 2023 travel basketball?

We are NOT an instructional developmental program. Coaches do not have the time to teach individual shooting, dribbling and passing. This goes for grades 3-12 boys and girls. If you feel you son/daughter needs individual development you are much better off hiring a trainer or individual instructor. Our coaches do work on individual skills but are limited to 1-2 practices per week 90 minute practice and 8-10 players. 

What we are? We are a competivive program teaching basketball game skills, offense/defense/ pressing breaking the press. We donot promise equal play time in the games. Much like on your school teams play time is earned at practice and in the games. We do attempt to get every player in every game in both the first andd second half.

++ More tournaments for less cost!! We play a minimum of 6 tournaments for $325 or an average of $54 per tournament-- In fact our 8th grade girls played 10 tournaments in 2019 through 2022 all of our girls teams played TEN tournaments for a cost of 325$ 

++ More practice time. Ever been promised all the practice you want and then as the season goes on no gym time? All of our teams in the pre-season prior to the first tournament can practice up to THREE times per week. 

++ Competitiveness. I find it interesting when a coach/organization guarantees winning. It can NOT be done. Ohio Lakers produced 43 teams average per year from 2018 to 2023, from that came 30 championships, over 300 playoff spots and 75 championship and runner-up finishes. No one if they are being truthful can guarantee a winning season, that depends on the players, coaches and chemistry of the teams and the tournaments entered. 

++ Four local tournaments which we run EAST and the Y-TOWN classic and in 2024 the Easter Classic. All of these tournaments use Mahoning and northern Columbiania County schools. All are with in a 30 minute drive for our players. This allows us to be close to home for 4-tournaments. Both tournaments are run through Ohio Basketball and SMAC organization.

++Professional coaches. We use coaches not parents. We have found over the years that our use of college students both men and women has been highly successful for us. These college students were typically top basketball players in their career. Kelsey Brown from Pymatuing Valley,  the all-time leading scorer in Ashtabula County history. Quincy Higgins and all-state guard from Austintown Fitch, Korri Maynard a 3-year starter at Ursuline and Girard. 

Parents coaching create the look of a bad situation. We do use parents who are currently high school or active grade school coaches but we are careful in the selection and process of bringing parents on board as coaches. Even if they are great it creates a bad look.

Local tournaments

We are so excited about the opportunity I know over the years parents have continually asked? Can we have local tournaments so I can attend?

The Y-Town classic in mid-April 2024 and the East tournament the last week of March, 2024 and now an Easter tournament locally beginning in 2024. 

Well now you have them! Three or our 8-10 tournaments right in your back yard and if your team schedules properly another in Sharon, Pa. so half of your schedule locally!! This is why the merger works!

Pittsburgh 2019 and beyond -- We have not gone to Pittsburg since 2019, but we do go to Erie were the Lakers have been highly successful. 

Each year after our annual journey to the Pittsburgh Tip-off Caveman Classic I have parents ask "why are those teams so good? Why do we go to that tournament"

A two-fold answer. Yes, it is the top tournament we go to each year. Pennsylvania has relaxed rules for AAU, first the teams are allowed to start practicing right after Labor Day, in September. Secondly, there is no limit to the number of players from the same school. This gives the Pennsylvania teams a tremendous competitive advantage.

So why go? Is the purpose of AAU to win games or to get better as a player? How many local Ohio teams were in Pittsburgh? I can answer that for you ZERO, why they want to win small local tournaments with 3 and 4 team pools and look good. We want to compete against the best, teams from New York, West Virginia and Canada were there. These tournaments show you were you son or daughter is at as a player. I challenge any of these so called "great" local organizations to go to this tournament and compete? They will not it is easier to hide than play the best.

Secondly, the facilities are second to none, Pittsburgh North Catholic, North Allegheny and Shaler Area Schools are just great facilities. These schools are so neat to see and play in.

Yes, if it is only about winning a medal, we can buy them for $2 apiece and pass them out. It is about competition and getting better.

So yes it was worth it.
Dave Konczal

Lakers North Director

Coaches/Coaching Parents:
Coaching for spring travel basketball in Ohio is very difficult.  We in particular do not like to use parents because with parents our coaching our complaints are always higher. Even if not the case the perception there is that parents tend to favor their son/daughter. So we use college players and students. These coaches are NOT paid, they are reimbursed for the gas and expenses. We feel this is only fair to the young people who volunteer their time and money to coach in our program. We do use parents that are professional coaches, high school coaches, ex-college coaches, these individuals are too valuable to not use in our coaching program. 

Parents, never were you promised EQUAL play-time. Our agreement is that all players play in the first and  try to play in second half of each game. When games are in the play-off bracket or pool play games are close coaches can not and are not expected to have equal playtime. Please be aware of this commitment.