Not too many people are fortunate enough to have a mentor who is both their teacher and coach, but I am. To most he’s just a teacher, but to me, he is more than that. He is a role model, a mentor and a leader--both in the 8th hour American Problems and on the basketball court.
If I’m not learning in the classroom, then I am learning on the court. As a coach, he is passionate, devoted and knowledgeable. As a player, I am like a sponge, taking in the knowledge learned from Coach Haase -- and he has inspired me to want to coach one day.  He is so passionate in what he does, and that makes me want to be a coach.
I have participated in his summer basketball camps since first grade. At first I was intimidated by him. I can remember thinking, this is Coach Haase the varsity basketball coach and I’m just a little 1st grader. I didn’t view him like that for long as he was constantly encouraging, pushing, and congratulating me throughout the camp.
At the beginning of each day, he would recognize one “camper of the day” from each team -- rewarding the player who worked the hardest from the day before.  Each winner would get a prize and I worked so hard to win one! I remember the first prize I won from that camp and Coach Haase congratulating me on working hard.  That meant a lot to me and his camps fueled my love for basketball.
Fast forward nine years later. I am now a coach at Coach Haase’s summer basketball camps trying to instill the same life lessons he has taught me to the younger campers.
While in seventh grade, I broke the tibia and fibula in my right leg during a basketball game.  It was a difficult and devastating time for me and I was left wondering if I could even come back to play the game of basketball. After having surgery on my leg, Coach Haase was the first visitor at my house, encouraging me and giving me hope.  It showed how much he cared about me, and that was really something special to me.
Coach Haase constantly pushes every player to reach his full potential and he personally challenges me to take my game to the next level. He has taught me lessons throughout my life that I will never forget, but one thing that has stuck with me is his saying, “It all matters.”  Last season, this was our team motto. The motto means that paying attention to the little things are what makes a good team Great. Not only do I apply this to basketball, but I also apply Coach Haase’s motto to life and school. It makes me extra motivated to get that homework assignment done late at night or to go that extra mile to help others because it all matters
Coach Haase has guided me in so many ways with not only my development in basketball, but also in the classroom. He is an energetic and entertaining teacher as he captures the attention of his students. He is never boring and equally enthusiastic in the classroom as he is on the basketball court.