ROGERS (KFSM)-- Rogers Heritage basketball put together the longest winning streak in program history earlier this season, and now find themselves right in the thick of the 7A-West race. The War Eagles have found success due in large part to the tight relationship between their senior starters.
"I know that our senior class has been playing together for like, over six years, so we’re almost the same mind at this point," explains Ty Olsen.
But it’s the bond between Ty and Coach Olsen that has made this year truly special.
"You know," muses Ty, "I kind of have a funny relationship because he’s my dad and everything"
"It’s been an awesome experience to coach your kids and spend that much time with them, and to have a common goal all the time," says longtime Heritage coach Tom Olsen.
Ty is the third and final Olsen boy to play for Tom, and theirs is the story of Heritage Basketball, as Coach Olsen tells it.
"Ty’s oldest brother Chris really set this in motion his senior year and got us to the state tournament for the very first time. And then, Ty’s middle brother Dane he kind of kept us there for the last three seasons, and Ty and his group have kind of benefited for the legacy that those teams left and they’ve taken it to another level, so each of them have had a really interesting and cool part to the success that we’re having now"
"It’s kind of difficult to find that line, like where is he dad and where is he coach," says Ty.
"I loved every minute of coaching my kids but I'm not sure that I want to do it again," admits Tom. But ultimately, he says "This has been really special for me."
"He’s done an excellent job of being dad at home, coach here, so I can’t attest enough to how great of a coach he is," says Ty, "but also how much better of a father he actually is."
While they admit the finality of it all has lent a "bittersweet" feeling to this season, the Olsen's are looking to go out on top, thinking this is the year Heritage can make a run in the state tournament.