SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Over the past years the community has come together at Champions Plaza a number of times in celebration, to honor and recognize outstanding achievements by local athletes who have achieved distinction in their sport at a state, national or international level.

South Lake Tahoe has many home-grown athletes, many of whom have competed in the Olympics or in national tournaments in their respective sports. At 2 p.m. Thursday, June 22, at El Dorado Beach, near Lakeview Commons, the community is again invited to join in celebration as South Lake Tahoe’s own Jerod Haase is honored for his many accomplishments.

Born and raised in South Lake Tahoe, Haase is one of five siblings, all of whom have played an intercollegiate sport. Haase and his 1992 South Tahoe High School team faced off against their larger rival Western High for the state title in consecutive years, with South Tahoe winning in Haase’s senior year in one of the most notable contests in state basketball history. He won the Nevada AAA Player of the Year and the team was ranked 17th in the nation. 

Haase went on to play at University of California, Berkeley in 1993, moving to the starting lineup and averaging 12 points and three assists through the first 10 games for the Golden Bears. The Bears went on to the NCAA Tournament that year, with Haase scoring 13 points in an upset of powerhouse Duke in the second round. After that season, he transferred to University of Kansas and contributed immediately. He was named Big Eight newcomer of the year and a second team all-conference selection.

During his tenure at Kansas, Haase started in 99 of the 101 games with the Jayhawks, and was named co-captain in his senior year when the team went 34-2. The Jayhawks won three consecutive conference titles with Haase, and they were ranked anywhere from fifth to first in the nation. Named as one of the favorites to win the NCAA tournament in 1996-97 in his final year, the Jayhawks went down to Arizona in the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen game as his final collegiate game.

After Haase’s senior season he co-wrote a book entitled Floor Burns with author Mark Horvath describing the Jayhawks 1996–1997 season. Haase then had a brief career playing professional basketball in Macedonia.

Haase went on to a successful coaching career in college basketball, with positions at Kansas and North Carolina under Roy Williams, and then to UAB as head coach and currently Stanford again as head coach. In addition to his coaching acumen, Haase brings so much to the game and his players off the court. Jerod exemplifies sportsmanship, commitment, respect, and integrity, and these are traits that he passes on to his players. He prioritizes making sure that his players are great young men in addition to being skilled athletes.

The community is invited to join the celebration at 2 p.m. Thursday at Champions Plaza at El Dorado Beach to celebrate these accomplishments and honor Jerod Haase, with a brick on the plaza floor alongside other honorees.

Jerry Bindel is chairman of the South Lake Tahoe Parks and Recreation Commission.