A dozen years ago, Statesmen Basketball Head Coach John Henry, then an assistant boys' basketball coach at Oskaloosa High School, was working at an Indians' boys' basketball summer camp. He was ‘awarded' the opportunity to work with the third and fourth grade campers that week.
"I'm still mad about it and I still feel like I got hustled," Henry joked.
There were approximately 20 third and fourth graders at the camp with half from Oskaloosa the other half from the surrounding area.
"I was assigned the Oskaloosa kids and Andy Pickering, then the North Mahaska coach, said he would take all the ‘other' kids," Henry said.
"I was thrilled at first because I knew the best player at the camp was from Osky, a kid named Tyler Sash (now playing football for the University of Iowa)," Henry added.
As the teams prepared to play on the first day of camp, Henry noticed that the ‘so-called' area kids at camp all seemed to know each other, all wore red shirts, and all seemed to be related! The North Mahaska Warhawks and future state champions were ready for action!!
It was soon apparent to Henry and third-grader Sash that they were severely overmatched.
"The Osky kids and I were too proud to give up, but it didn't stop them from giving us four straight days of extreme beatings," Henry said. "The Osky kids were good, but it was like North Mahaska had its own version of an elementary school Dream Team. I have never seen anything like it at such an early age."
The relationship between Henry and Pickering, another Penn alum, was built with those summer camp games.
"Coach Pickering has been a big brother and mentor to me since those days and I owe so much to him," Henry said.
Henry was hired as the seventh grade boys' coach at North Mahaska soon thereafter and his connection to the school only grew stronger.
"I loved my one year as a Warhawk coach and I guess I never stopped being a Warhawk," Henry said.
Years later, Henry watched closely as the North Mahaska phenoms won a state hardwood championship.
"You could see it coming," Henry said. "The foundation was built ahead of them and the title group finally followed through with the plan."
"I wasn't able to attend the championship game, but I watched it in my basement," Henry added. "I remember crying tears of joy. I left a message on Coach Pickering's phone as they won the game."
An hour or two later, Pickering returned Henry's call.
"That's Pick for you--during the best moment of his coaching career, he finds time to call a former seventh grade coach back," Henry said.
As the North Mahaska dynasty was at its peak, the William Penn hoops program was still in a rebuilding stage with Henry, a 1997 alum, at the helm and he was in need of the best recruits from the area.
Enter Joel Stout and, soon thereafter, cousin Caleb Stout.
Last Wednesday night, the duo played their final regular season home game in the Statesmen navy blue and gold, a contest Penn won 95-70 over Waldorf. The victory was Penn's 20th of the year and gave the program its fourth-straight 20-win campaign. In 103 years of Penn men's basketball, only ten squads have won 20 games or more, five of which have come under Henry's direction.
"We were having success before the Stouts arrived, but they were integral in making winning a norm here," Henry said.
Joel Stout recently became the 18th player in Statesmen history to surpass the 1,000-point threshold. He has started 58 of 125 games in which he has played and is a potential first-team all-Midwest Collegiate Conference selection this year. The senior has knocked down 140 three-pointers in his career and is averaging 15.5 points this season.
"Joel is as mentally and physically tough as any player we have ever had here," Henry said. "He has played and practiced with urgency and passion every day for four years."
Caleb Stout has tallied 480 points and 436 rebounds in a Penn career that has seen him start all 30 of the team's games. Currently averaging 7.6 points and 7.9 rebounds this season, he is tied for second in the league in total rebounds and is tied for seventh in NAIA Division II in offensive rebounds.
"Caleb is the greatest rebounder I have ever coached," Henry said. "At just 6-4, he has a nose for the ball that is untouchable. He has played out of position, but has always been appreciated for how great he is as a player and as a warrior."
"Time truly does move too fast," Henry said. "I cannot believe these guys are about to move on and become grown men."
"I want to thank them both, their families, and all of New Sharon for what they have given to me, my family, William Penn, and all of us who have had the great pleasure of watching them play ball and grow up," Henry added. "Personally, I am forever a Warhawk and a Stout. I am a better person for knowing Joel and Caleb Stout."
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