Longtime Mandan basketball coach holds camp in New Town
Longtime Mandan basketball coach holds camp in New Town
By MARVIN BAKER
EDITOR
A North Dakota basketball legend was back in New Town last Thursday holding a clinic that brought 80 kids to town from all over the northwest.
Greg Amundson, who began his career in New Town and went on to become one of the most successful girls basketball coaches in state history with Mandan, felt compelled to fill three open days he had all summer in a New Town camp.
He said he had been visiting with Three Affiliated Tribes Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Jarret Baker about basketball and they agreed to set one up.
“I’m working camps all summer and I had an open date,” Amundson said. “I started here so it’s kind of fun to come back.”
Amundson recognized some of the names when he got to New Town and said he actually coached some of the parents and grandparents of the kids attending.
“In those days kids played all day long,” Amundson said. “There was definitely talent there in those days and there is definitely talent there today.”
Amundson has been coaching in Mandan several years and has taken the Mandan girls basketball team to state numerous times winning many titles. In addition, Amundson spent 37 years in the North Dakota National Guard, retiring recently as a lieutenant colonel.
“What I really like is they incorporate all communities in to this camp,” Amundson said. “There’s so many opportunities here to excel at basketball. It used to be the only thing going on. Now there’s more things to do like TV and computers.”
New Town head boys basketball coach Damon Brady assisted Amundson with the camp. He agreed with Amundson’s statement, but added a lot of these kids in grades 4-9, chose not to take the easy road this summer and better their basketball skills.
