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Former Crusader Spotlight
Amber Quinn (Sims)
Crusader Grad — Class of 2006
Teacher, Elkhorn North High School · Elkhorn, NE
Amber with her family
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From Bellevue East to the court at Concordia University to the classroom at Elkhorn North, with a stretch on the high school bench along the way. Two decades on from her Crusader days, Amber's advice keeps coming back to the whole person — and her focus now is on making sure her own kids have a positive experience with the game.
Describe your experience playing with the Crusaders. Any significant moments stand out?
I had a really positive experience playing for the Crusaders. It was something that I loved in the moment, but I probably took for granted how big an impact it had on me as a person and a basketball player. The most memorable moments, as with a lot of teams, are the ones off the court — getting to travel and spend time with other strong athletes showed me parts of the country I never would have seen otherwise.
On the court, it challenged me to adapt and find my role outside of my high school team; it can be easy to fall into a comfortable rhythm with a school team, and Crusaders pushed me to raise my expectations of myself and others.
What advice could you give to student-athletes about the recruiting process?
The recruiting process can feel overwhelming and daunting, but my advice is to approach it with an understanding of what you value as a whole person. From a basketball standpoint, you want to look for coaches and systems that match your style of play and will continue to nurture your growth as an athlete; from an academic standpoint, you want to look at schools and communities that will bring you closer to your professional goals.
How has grassroots basketball changed since your days with the Crusaders?
There are a lot of things that have changed about club basketball since I played. There are probably more opportunities for athletes to get on teams, which is great, but with more choices, there should be more caution. Parents and athletes should make sure teams have coaches who actually want what is best for their players as whole people.
What's life like now — a day in the life of Amber!
I live in Elkhorn, Nebraska, with my husband and two kids, Cullen (11) and Raegan (9). I teach at Elkhorn North High School. When I started teaching, I coached high school basketball, but now my focus is on my kids and helping them to have positive experiences with the game.
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