Vallivue HC Ryan Lundgren Leads Program To Modern And One Of A Kind Approach In Idaho
Out in Caldwell, Idaho, Vallivue head coach Ryan Lundgren has spearheaded a noticeable culture shift in terms of the basketball program. Lundgren has not only brought success to the program in recent seasons, but also a certain swagger both on the court and off of the hardwood by way of team excursions, social media activity and yes, even hosting a team from Australia for a game, a first for prep hoops in Idaho.
Last season, Lundgren and his feisty squad took Preston to the limit in an overtime thriller at the 4A state title game and finished the season with a 16-4 record following the team’s trip to Santa Barbara, California. A team excursion that his players are starting to get used to as the head coach is making it a point to get his team together for a special experience early each season. An opportunity to really bring his players together.
“We are trying to make the out-of-state trip, part of the annual routine in our program at Vallivue. Last year we went to Santa Barbara, which was incredible. Just getting out of the cold winter weather and getting some time on the beach is an awesome experience for these kids. I felt like that trip was the turning point in our season last year. Our team really bonded and came together on that trip. Upon our return back to Idaho, we finished the year with a 16-4 record, and were more cohesive than we were before. This year will be a good change and will allow the kids to see a different part of California. We are playing in the Don and Martha Price Invitational in Watsonville, CA. We will stay a few nights on the boardwalk in Santa Cruz, while we play our three games, 20 miles away in Watsonville. Once we finish the tournament, we are headed to the city to stay two nights in San Francisco and enjoy some time together. We currently have tickets to the Cal at Stanford basketball game (PAC 12 opener), and will be touring the Google campus. We are debating a Golden State Warriors game, if we can find the money in our budget. Overall, it’s just a great opportunity to see some out-of-state competition and bond as a team, before conference play begins,” Lundgren said.
Included in his unique approach to building a season itinerary for his team, this season involves something that has yet to be done with regards to high school hoops in the state. Vallivue will host a team from Australia for a game in early December, and as Lundgren explains it will be a great experience for his players and the school.
“This is a really special opportunity for both our program and our community. We are really trying to inform our student body of this game and opportunity, in hopes that they come out and enjoy a really unique cultural experience. We will play the Australian anthem, in addition to the American Anthem. We will also have some Australian finger food that we will provide the students at the conclusion of the game. It’s much bigger than basketball, it’s a great cultural experience for our students at Vallivue High School. It’s a great opportunity for our players because they will play against a style of basketball that they have never seen before. Australian basketball prides itself on shooting, passing and high IQ play. It’s much different than basketball in the states. We were able to lock this game in through some Australian connections I made during my time coaching at Boise State. We are excited for it.”
In perhaps one of the most noticeable ways in which the program has changed is with regards to social media and marketing. Lundgren has branded the Vallivue program with use of social media and modernizing how things are done in the program. The result has been an almost collegiate feel in terms of pushing out content and connecting with their fan base. The effort has paid dividends to growing their student fan base and better yet, taking the Vallivue name to newer heights. Lundgren dished on his approach to growing the program with the use of media.
“This was one of my top priorities, when I first took this job. You think about how much time kids spend on their phones, and specifically on their social media accounts, it’s imperative to stay up with the times. When I was in high school (which wasn’t that long ago), social media wasn’t even close to what it is today. You had to attend the Friday night football game or Saturday night basketball game to talk with all your classmates about what the plans were that weekend. Nowadays, I’ve noticed student attendance is down at a majority of high school athletic events. I think a huge reason for that, is because they can just communicate via Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook etc. They don’t need to attend the game to game plan for the weekend. I chose to embrace this new generation’s mindset and utilize social media.”
Lundgren continued, “we pump out hype and highlight videos, we do Twitter challenges for Falcon gear and just try to take a progressive approach to our social media presence. I’ve seen a drastic increase in student attendance since I’ve been at Vallivue, and our social media strategy has played a large role in that. Derek Self (teacher at our school) and his Vallivue video program deserve a ton of credit for our social media. He does a phenomenal job with the video portion of our Twitter account. We are really lucky to have him and his video students working with us.
Prior to taking over the Vallivue program, Lundgren was the director of operations for Boise State University, a job which helped him form connections and gain valuable experience. As a sponge, Lundgren soaked up useful strategies and also off the court practices in which he uses today with the Falcons. One of which is a preseason tradition of sorts that he picked up from current Boise State head coach Leon Rice. “We have had a pre-season boot camp to kick off the year, each of the three years I’ve been at Vallivue. I stole this idea from Coach Rice, as I saw how successful it was with our players during my four years at Boise State. It’s really powerful watching the team work together and struggle through physically and mentally excruciating tasks and exercises. Everything they do is together, which builds instant cohesiveness and chemistry with our team. It’s a weekend that has become the staple of Vallivue Men’s Basketball for years to come.”
Ryan Lundgren with Boise State head coach Leon Rice.Lundgren has a unique ability to pull from his experiences, but also a strong desire to always be learning more. The third year head coach touched on the other ways in which he picks up ideas and tactics for his team. “I’m a basketball junkie and I’m constantly looking for creative and innovative ideas that I can implement within my program. Whether it’s reading books, browsing social media or just talking to coaches I know around the country, I’m always looking to introduce new ideas to my program that will keep kids excited and proud to be a Vallivue Falcon.”
With a new season in front of them, Lundgren and Vallivue look to mature fast as a young team hungry to remain in the conversation at the 4A level. In terms of what to look for from his group in the 2017-2018 season, Lundgren added, “I’ll say this – Vallivue is going to be a really fun team to watch this year. We graduated seven of our top nine, which is never easy to bounce back from. However, we have a great young core that is hungry and excited to continue the legacy that our 2017 graduates, left. This team plays extremely fast and can shoot the ball really well. The exciting thing about this particular team, is that we are going to get significantly better over the next two months. Most of these guys have never logged Varsity minutes, so it will take some time. When they get their feet under them and fully adjust to the speed of the Varsity game, they will be a handful for teams to guard.”
Look for Lundgren and Vallivue to continue their outside of the box approach which will likely lead to even more success on and away from the court.