Top Flight’s Players Excel On and Off The Court

Top Flight Basketball Academy is an AAU club based in the south metro. Top Flight has set out with a focus on a specific subset of basketball players.  This strategic focus has allowed it to put together consistently competitive teams. <strong>FOR THE MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE</strong> Top Flight prides itself on putting together elite-level teams while providing additional flexibility for its players. And it's clear that the program is fulfilling a very real need. It goes without saying that there are basketball players throughout Minnesota that have talents beyond the hardwood. And clubs like Top Flight allow athletes the opportunity to continue to pursue multiple passions. Program director Dan Egan summed up his ultimate vision for the program, saying, "The kids get the opportunity to play ultra-competitive basketball...and get to develop their game without specializing at this time." [caption id="attachment_9412" align="alignleft" width="225"] Morgan Krumwiede had the highest batting average on Burnsville's varsity softball team last season[/caption] <span style="font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size: 16px">Egan is the do-it-all guy at Top Flight. In addition to being the club's director, he is also the head coach for the 2021 group, as well as an assistant for both of Top Flight's 2023 teams. When asked to describe Top Flight, he said, "Top Flight is a boutique program. There are three teams currently in the program, with a 4th likely on the way...as a parent, the goal was to put together the most competitive team using mostly multi-sport athletes." The unique positioning of Top Flight has helped it to attract high-level talent to its teams.</span> Top Flight doesn't operate without its challenges, however. One area that is a natural trade-off for the club is consistency as many players have commitments to other teams. Egan explains the give and take, saying, "I don't always know who's going to be at practice...girls will be here for basketball today and will miss tomorrow for softball. They kind of pick and choose. They don't leave me high and dry, they don't leave softball high and dry, and it allows them to do both." <strong>TOP FLIGHT 2021 HAS SOME FIREPOWER</strong> The 2021 Top Flight group is an entertaining bunch to watch. The team finished their season last week at the North Tartan Meltdown AAU National Championships. They ended the week 3-2 in the tournament's top 9th grade division, beating teams from Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. This group built the mold for future teams at Top Flight. Of the eleven girls on the roster, six are already multi-sport letter-winners. In addition to basketball, players have earned letters in soccer, softball, volleyball, track &amp; field, and tennis. It's an impressive group, especially when considering that these athletes are about to start their sophomore year of high school. [caption id="attachment_9405" align="alignright" width="298"] Kate Trachsel had the second most points (goals + assists) on Prior Lake's varsity soccer team as a freshman[/caption] <span style="font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size: 16px">No one in the Top Flight program is more accomplished than point guard </span><strong style="font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size: 16px">Kate Trachsel</strong><span style="font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size: 16px"> (Prior Lake). Trachsel averaged over 8 points per game for Prior Lake last season as a freshman. And in addition to being Prep Girls Hoops' #38 ranked player in the class of 2021, Trachsel is already a two-year soccer letter-winner for the Lakers. Egan had nothing but great things to say about his star guard. He told me, "I have watched her play soccer a couple times and she is just dominant out on the field. There is no one that works harder than Kate. If I could do it again, I would still choose to start my program around her."</span> And the wide-ranging talent doesn't end with Trachsel. In fact, the roster includes five of Prep Girls Hoops' top 100 ranked players in the class. <strong>Sydni Olson</strong> (Waconia) is ranked #55 by PGH. <strong>Ivory Finley</strong> (Rosemount) is ranked #59, and has lettered in track &amp; field. <strong>Rachel Kawiecki</strong> (Holy Angels) is ranked #62 and has also lettered in softball and soccer. And <strong>Morgan Krumwiede</strong> (Burnsville) is ranked #79 while also lettering in softball. <strong>Emily Johnson</strong> &amp; <strong>Abby Kuboushek</strong> (Prior Lake), <strong>Lexi Egan</strong> (Holy Angels), <strong>Mara McMahon</strong> (Burnsville), <strong>Kali Kopka</strong> (Kennedy) and <strong>Sydney Rahn</strong> (Red Wing) round out a very solid and very deep 2021 team. <strong>A VISION OF THE FUTURE</strong> It was interesting talking with Egan about what he envisions for his players' futures. He hypothesizes that, "Depending on what their goals are, I think a lot of these kids could continue to play multiple sports into college. They may not all be D1 or D2, but I think they could have success at the collegiate level not just in one sport, but possibly two." It will be exciting to watch the elite athletes of Top Flight excel on courts, fields, and tracks across Minnesota for years to come. &nbsp; <em>Morgan Krumwiede in-article photo is courtesy of The Savage Pacer</em> <em>Kate Trachsel in-article photo is courtesy of SWNewsMedia.com</em>