Northstar Weekly Honors: Jake Phipps
On December 18, Anoka senior center Jake Phipps and his dad, Dan, sat down for a rare serious talk.
“I am so proud to be your dad,” Dan said. “You have come so far from being a little kid to where you are now.”
A conversation with a tone like this was rare. Dan was a big joker, and he was known for being positive and upbeat.
Jake knew what this meant, however. Dan had battled kidney cancer for four years, and he had just started in-home hospice care. His doctors had given him four to six weeks at his last appointment.
“He knew his time was running out,” Jake explained. “He told me that he was proud of me, that I have opportunities that he never had and that I need to take advantage of it.”
Three days later, Dan Phipps passed away at the age of 53.
That same night, Jake Phipps went off for 26 points and 14 rebounds against rival school Andover. Jake is our unanimous staff pick to receive Northstar Weekly Honors.
“I woke up like a regular day,” Jake said about December 21st. “I went to my first couple classes before I got a pass to come home from my Aunt Jody. (In the office,) I saw my twin sister there, crying. She said ‘something bad happened,’ and we drove home.
“I saw my Aunt Jody at the front door and she said ‘it’s bad.’ I walked upstairs into my dad’s bedroom, but he had already passed.”
The kidney cancer had taken its toll, and Dan had suffered a massive heart attack and passed away. Jake had the task of telling his mother the bad news, which was followed by hours of family time, consoling and planning.
Anoka basketball had a game that night, the 21st, against rival Andover. Up until that day, Jake’s dad had always been there, supporting him the entire way.
“At a young age, he pushed my sisters and me into sports,” Jake explained. “He would sign us up for in-house leagues, camps… he cared about it so much. And then he would always be at all the games, supporting me, being loud.”
Year-round, Dan followed Jake’s games and provided vocal encouragement. He hit the AAU circuit and cheered for Minnesota Fury in a way that coach Ben Wilde will always remember.
“Dan was at every game,” Ben said, “but towards the end, he had to miss a tournament or two. That’s when we all knew things were getting bad. In Las Vegas, he was really struggling but also cheering louder than any fan in the gym. (Eventually,) Dan and a parent from another team got into an argument, and the officials stopped the game. They told myself and the other coach to control our parents, or the game would end. I told Dan ‘shut up,’ and he said ‘got it’!”
And as a rookie parent, Wilde soaked up the wisdom that Dan gladly shared with him.
“After my son was born, Dan told me that I should love my child more than anything on Earth,” Wilde added. “He said to spend as much time as I can with him and to be a great parent. Dan knew his time was coming to an end and that every minute with his kids was precious. That hit me hard… it will stick with me.”
The afternoon of the 21st, Jake had to decide what he was going to do that night.
“My basketball coach said that everyone was with me, and that they were in support,” Jake said. “It was up to me to decide what I wanted to do.
“I had some time to think about it, and I thought that, knowing what he wanted, he would want me to play this rivalry game. I said ‘yeah, I’m going to play.'”
Addison Ostendorf, Jake’s friend and teammate, huddled Anoka up during pre-game and said that they would play for Jake and his family. They wanted to win that one for the Phipps’.
Although the game was a double-overtime classic, Andover ended up winning. Everyone in the gym, however, knew what Jake had just done with a massive weight on his shoulders.
“It was emotional,” Jake noted. “During every timeout, I could hear everyone behind me saying ‘good job’ and cheering. The fans in the student section from Andover came and shook my hand and said they couldn’t believe what I was going through. They said they respected me.”
Dan Phipps’ cheering section moved from real life to the afterlife, but his son will continue to play in his name well after high school. Jake signed with Southwest MN State and will continue his basketball career there.
“(Dan) really wanted Jake to play at a high level and reach his full potential,” coach Wilde remembered. “All he wanted to do was see his three kids succeed, and there’s no doubt in my mind that they all will.”
The Northstar Weekly Honors award is presented by Intensive Basketball Camps