Crusaders Alumni Newsletter

Describe your experience playing with the Crusaders. Any significant moments stand out?

My playing experience with the Crusaders was fantastic. I often look back on the Crusaders days as my favorite part of my basketball journey. I think part of what makes AAU so fun is that it's a small look into what college basketball is like. You get recruited to a team, travel across the country together, eat all sorts of meals together, play three games in a day and then go hang out and have fun in the hotel and build relationships as teammates. Crusaders were able to provide that for me and left me with lifelong memories and friendships. I ended up committing to Wayne State College because two of my Crusader teammates, Jordan Janssen and Nate Thayer, had already committed there. I think that's a direct reflection of the kind of relationships that were built on those trips and with those teams.

My entire 17U season stands out to me. We had a really good team with pretty much all D1/D2 guys, and this was the first year that a Nebraska AAU program was sponsored by a shoe league — we spent that season playing on the adidas Gauntlet. This was the opportunity for Nebraska kids to show they belonged in one of the biggest shoe circuits and that we could hang with some of the best players and teams in the country. On top of that, we dominated locally. We won the River Cities tournament in July. We won the Sanford Pentagon Series in the spring. And at the end of the day I was able to have multiple full-ride scholarship offers because of the exposure the Crusaders provided for me.

What advice could you give to student-athletes about the recruiting process?

Stay patient, communicate with schools that are showing interest — no matter the level — and continue to work harder than you think you're working. College athletics is changing often and rapidly. There are so many ways for players to be recruited now. I was fortunate when I was playing for Crusaders and going through the recruiting process that there were really only two ways to be recruited: through HS/AAU and JUCO. And that was only eight years ago! Now there's the transfer portal, prep schools and academies, waivers for players to get another year of eligibility, and international markets, on top of the traditional routes. It can be really easy to get discouraged in the recruiting process, but those who don't let that stuff drown them will reap the benefits.

How has grassroots basketball changed since your days with the Crusaders?

In a lot of ways, it's still the same AAU basketball it has always been, and that's what makes it so fun. Being on the other side of it now, where I'm recruiting as opposed to being recruited, I still see so many of the things I used to see when I was playing. Chaotic games with fun environments and atmospheres. I see this as a positive, and I think AAU still has a fundamental part in helping the game and developing players.

The only negative thought I have is that it's too oversaturated now with so many different leagues and circuits these teams can play on. When I was part of the first shoe-sponsored team in Nebraska, there were only three leagues to make it in — Nike, adidas and Under Armour — so there was a level of prestige to it. Now you not only have those three, but Puma, New Balance, NXT Pro, Recruit Look and P32, just to name some. For college coaches, it's made it really hard on budgets — schools that aren't at the D1 level struggle to see kids in their own areas. There are so many teams playing in so many different leagues across the country that it's almost impossible to see a lot of these kids when they play AAU.

Tell us about your life now — a day in the life of Nick Ferrarini!

I always knew that once my playing days were over I wanted to get on the coaching side of things, and I'm now an assistant coach with Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. We had an amazing season this past year, spending a majority of it ranked number one in the country for D2. We won the MIAA regular season and conference championships, and hosted the Central Region portion of the D2 National Tournament. We finished 31–2. We're really excited about the group we have for this upcoming season — we were fortunate to bring back ten players from last year's roster while adding three transfers and three freshmen. We expect to be ranked in the preseason top five.

My family is doing great. I have a girlfriend, Emily, who lives down in Topeka with me. She works as a nurse at the hospital here and has become fully invested in the coaching lifestyle. My parents are still in the Omaha area, as are both of my brothers. I'm extremely grateful to have an awesome support system around me as I still try to accomplish my coaching dreams.

Describe your experience playing with the Crusaders. Any significant moments stand out?

Playing for the Crusaders gave me so many great memories and opportunities. One of the things I remember most is looking up to the older Crusader girls. As a younger player, they seemed like rock stars!

My favorite memories are the little things — visiting college campus bookstores, eating lots of barbeque, the Boo Williams team, Westside's gym before it had air conditioning, and spending countless hours in the gym with teammates.

What advice could you give to student-athletes about the recruiting process?

Don't rush the process. Choosing a college is about much more than where you'll play — it's deciding who you'll become over the next four to five years. I encourage student-athletes to spend as much time as possible with the coaching staff and current players. Those moments will tell you far more about a program's culture than an official visit.

One of the biggest factors in my own recruiting process was finding a coach I could learn from and trust. Whether that's a male or female coach is a personal decision, but it's worth thinking about. Ask yourself whose leadership style, values, and communication will help you become the best version of yourself.

How has grassroots basketball changed since your days with the Crusaders?

My daughter is playing select this year, so I'm about to find out firsthand! One change I've noticed is that athletes are specializing in one sport at a much younger age. While I understand why that happens, I'm a big believer in being a multi-sport athlete. Basketball made me a better volleyball player, and volleyball made me a better basketball player. If young athletes have the opportunity to play multiple sports, I encourage them to do it!

What's life like now — a day in the life of Brooke!

These days, my life is centered around coaching, teaching, family and faith. I'm going into my third season as the head volleyball coach at Roncalli Catholic High School, and I also coach my daughter's teams. During the day, I work at The Hills Montessori, where I enjoy helping young people learn and grow. Vivian keeps me busy, and if we're not in a gym, you can find us roller skating or scrapbooking together. My brother Billy also lives in Omaha with his four kids, so spending time with them is a big part of my life as well.

Looking back now as a coach, I have an incredible appreciation for the coaches who invested in me — Coach Woodard, Coach Fritsche, Coach Klaus, and Coach Persigehl. They believed in me, challenged me, and never gave up on me. At the time, I didn't fully understand everything they poured into us. Now that I'm coaching myself, I realize how much time, energy, patience, and heart it takes to invest in young people. It's given me an even greater appreciation for the people who shaped me — not just as a player, but as a person.