Nearly 30 years ago, a small-town basketball player from New Holstein, Wis., arrived at North Dakota State University with a passion for basketball and dreams of hitting the court for the NDSU men’s team. That player — Tom Wilberscheid — fulfilled his dreams, playing for NDSU and serving as a student assistant coach as well. After playing, coaching and/or instructing basketball in the Fargo-Moorhead area for more than 25 years, he and his wife, Diana, opened the Fargo Basketball Academy in the fall of 2008. Since opening, more than 1,500 youth have received training from the Academy, located on 52^nd Avenue in south Fargo.

 

The Academy meets the needs of preschool through high school youth, whether it be developing basketball fundamentals or taking those skills to the next level. The Academy is determined to help any youth — of any age and skill level — improve. “We’ll instruct kids as young as 4 years old,” Wilberscheid said, “but we also work with kids that are playing varsity ball. While we have a lot of players from Fargo-Moorhead, we have players from all across the region, including Minnesota, South Dakota and deep into central North Dakota, come to the Academy.”

 

Whether those players realize it or not, attending clinics or lessons at the Academy isn’t only about improving their game skills. “I want to see these players excel on the court, but just as importantly, I want to see them excel off of the court.  Basketball can teach youth valuable life-lessons that they can apply to the classroom and in all they do,” he explained. “I want them to be successful as adults in their jobs and their communities. Practice, hard work and strong fundamental instruction are keys to all areas of success.”

 

It’s a theme stressed throughout the Academy building with a virtual “who’s who” of area and national basketball players identified through photos, memorabilia and motivational quotes. And it’s not all about winning. “I tell the kids that you learn more from losing than from winning,” Wilberscheid said. “And you improve as a player when you play against better competition.”

 

At a time when expertise and specialization are prioritized, the Academy is able to provide top-notch coaching and instruction not just from Wilberscheid, but also from current and former area collegiate athletes, such as Tom Lunde, Mike Nelson and Josh Vaughn, who all played at NDSU. “It’s great to see the connection the kids form with our instructors,” he said.

As a former player, Wilberscheid recognized the difference between the Academy and traditional mainstream basketball camps, which is what propelled him to open the business. “Don’t get me wrong, camps are great; they teach kids to work with an array of teammates, and they provide game experience,” Wilberscheid said, “but with my own kids and their friends, I saw the need to provide the proper instruction on fundamental skills such as footwork, shooting technique, positioning, ball handling and defense. These skills are key for the overall development of a player.”

 

Instead of grouping players by age, the Academy places athletes in sessions based upon their individual skills. “We realize that some players develop faster, while others will benefit from concentrating on a skill set before moving up to the next level of instruction,” Wilberscheid said. “By working on skill development, we focus on building their confidence. Our goal is to help each player with his/her overall basketball ability, but more importantly, we want each participant to develop a clear understanding of what it takes to get better.”

 

It’s clear that Wilberscheid, through the Fargo Basketball Academy, is creating a holistic method of basketball instruction that aspires to make the most of every player, both on and off the court.