Westview (Old) (1,800) Built 1967
November 26, 2024
November 26, 2024
Last year I wrote about how my love affair with Indiana high school basketball started in the "new" gym at Westview. If you'd like to read my origin story, you can do so HERE. For anyone who played basketball at Westview during my lifetime, the new gym is home. It is a magical place that brings an entire community together in a way that only Hoosier Hysteria can. For people of a different generation, that gym isn't where their fascination with basketball in LaGrange County started. It started in what we always called the "old gym." This is the gym where Gary Yoder electrified crowds before becoming the only Westview player ever to be drafted by an NBA team. It's where Brad Oesch battled Shawn Kemp in front of sold out crowds. It's where my dad rained 25 footers from all over the court before the days when they were counted as three points. It's where Dan Byler started the most iconic pregame tradition in the state with his legendary whistling when he was just a high schooler himself. It's where 2,000 people would cram into a gym that was way too small for a community who loved basketball way too much. It's where a heritage started that has lasted over 50 years and is still one of the strongest in all of Indiana.
At the bottom of the blog here, I've included memories of the gym from people who actually played and watched games in it back when it was hosting high school basketball on cold Friday nights in Emma. My own memories of the gym are a little different than theirs. When I think of the old gym, my earliest recollections are from when my dad coached junior high girls basketball for a couple years when he was teaching at Westview. I would go to practices with him and shoot on the old side hoops with wooden backboards and fixed rims to kill the time. My first baskets on a ten foot goal that I can remember came on those side hoops. As I got older and started playing on junior high teams myself, we had a lot of practices in the old gym. The thing I remember most is just how unbelievably hot it got. If it had air conditioning, it wasn't functioning correctly in there. Suicides in that gym were always ten times worse than in the new gym. It was just oppressive. Early morning open gyms in the fall were particularly bad for some reason. One of my favorite memories playing in the gym was actually when I went in early one time with my dad for his weekly Friday morning pickup runs with other teachers. They needed an extra guy for one of the last games so they let me play. I was in probably 7th or 8th grade and got lucky and hit a couple of threes in a game against the adults. I was walking pretty tall at school that day (don't worry though, I was always humbled by the fact that my dad was known by everyone at the high school as the best shooter on campus, a fact that many of his teacher friends often reminded me of). That gym was also home to show choir performances, graduation receptions, and so much more. As I prepared to write this blog, I was kind of overwhelmed by how many different memories I have of the place. It may not host big high school games anymore, but it's continued to serve the Shipshewana and Topeka communities in a multitude of ways for over half a century.
If you dropped someone who hadn't seen the gym since 1967 into 2025, they would probably recognize it, but they would also be a little shellshocked. The biggest difference is in the seating areas. The gym used to have 14 rows of retractable wooden bleachers along each sideline. Now they only line one side. The opposite side was removed when the new gym was built and there was a need for new restrooms. Now the back wall of those restrooms is shared with the inside of the gym. Along the top of that wall that juts out into the gym is some storage. In front of it sit two metal benches for each team and a little scorer's table. The face of this whole wall is covered with a junior high athletic accomplishment display that would put some of the high school ones I've seen to shame. The unique thing is that it isn't separated by sport. A rung is just added to the ladder for each conference championship that's won. It's grown quite a bit since my 8th grade team hung our own plaque (the Westview junior high cross country team might be the most dominant program in the entire state at any level. Even the Carmel swim team has nothing on them). I don't believe that the bleachers that remain along the opposing sideline are original, but they've been there as long as I've been around. The coolest feature of the gym that is no longer here used to be connected to these bleachers. The very top row used to link to a hanging wooden press box in one upper corner of the gym. I'm not sure how structurally sound it was, but it provided an amazing vantage point. As kids we would sit in it and watch my sister's volleyball team lose every game by 15 points. Back in the day it would have been an incredible place to watch and cover a game. It was removed by the time I made it to junior high.
The baseline on the south end of the gym has a tall balcony area overlooking the court that is only accessible by a tight vertical staircase in the corner of the gym. For as long as I can remember it's been used for indoor batting cages. When high school games were held in the gym it was used for additional seating (or standing). I was always captivated by it as a kid and just wanted to walk around up there and see what the view was like. There used to be a ladder beneath it hanging horizontally above the ground behind the basket like monkey bars. I think it was used as another old school P.E. class torture device. The opposite baseline wall today is completely white and blank. There originally was a stage here when the high school was built. I believe it was removed around the same time the new gym was built and the senior lockers were installed on the other side of the wall in the cafeteria. When I was in school there used to be an awesome old school conference team display here. The floor looks like it's been redone recently. It's a very light shade of tan with "Westview" written in plain, red, block letters along each baseline. The modern Westview logo sits at center court. When I was younger it had a more classic golden hue to it. They've mercifully kept the feature of the gym that struck me the most as a kid. Right inside the main entrance to the gym is a classic mural of a Native American warrior on the hunt wearing traditional garb. It's right out of the consolidation era, and grounds the gym in its past.
When Topeka and Shipshewana joined together to form a new high school in the mid-60s, they weren' t exactly bringing together two powerhouse basketball programs. Even by small school standards, they hadn't had much success. Shipshe's lone 1944 Kendallville sectional title is the only postseason triumph either school could boast of. I'm not sure many people in either town could have predicted the run of success the new high school program would go on over the next 60 years. While the new gym may be recognized as one of the best in all of northern Indiana, I hope people don't forget where it all started. This old gym has meant a lot to a lot of different people. Read on below to find out why it was special to the people who experienced it when the games mattered most.
John Campos Jr. (Chico) (Westview statistician, 1979)
Favorite Memory: Basketball games. 76-77 JV team had a 4 corner press during a game and the press went on air to broadcast it before their scheduled varsity game broadcast because of how unique it was.
What Made The Gym Special: Had a nice weight lifting area at the top. Built a special area for statisticians and broadcasters to sit.
Laura Lazzaro (Westview fan, 1979)
Favorite Memory: The soccer team walked in during a basketball game with the "state" trophy. That was before there was a sanctioned state soccer tourney.
What Made The Gym Special: It was always packed. Everyone went to the games back then. We had a student cheer section and sat by grade with the seniors closest to the court. We pinned a carnation to our sweaters for sectional games.
Brenda Yoder (Westview cheerleader, 1986)
Favorite Memory: When we beat Concord the last game of my senior year in 1986 when Shawn Kemp played. When we won the entire student body section flooded the gym floor down at the end by the stage. It was amazing.
What Made The Gym Special: The energy. It was packed, always. The pep band on the stage, Dan Byler as the whistler and the pep club that would cheer with the cheerleaders. The gym was always rocking with cheers, music, or loud fans. The whole community was out. As a cheerleader, it was amazing to be in the center of the gym and lead the fans in "Here we go warriors, here we go" or "We are (clap clap) Westview (clap clap)
Roger Growcock (Westview fan, 1984)
Favorite Memory: For me, "building" the pyramid that Dan Byler then whistled from; that will always stay with me.
What Made The Gym Special: The closeness of the bleachers to the floor and the crowds cheering every team on, whether they were winning or not.
Ron Yoder (Westview player, 1984)
Favorite Memory: Having Dean Christner and Willie Yoder do play by play for the game videos in the “press box” in the upper northwest corner of the gym. A wooden press box built up in the corner.
What Made The Gym Special: Completely packed every game. Fans sitting in the upper end balcony with their legs hanging through the railings. The beginning of Dan the whistler standing on top of a 10 person pyramid made up of 1984 students.
Dennis Berkey (Westview player, 1985)
Favorite Memory: Watching Gary Yoder play, Dave Troyer against Shawn Kemp of Concord, any game involving the NECC bell (traveling trophy), running onto court and intros. My senior year we played Northridge and I rebounded ball and outlet and 2 passes later Kenlin Kropf dunked. As he ran back down court play stopped as I had got an elbow to the eyebrow and had blood running down my uniform.
What Made The Gym Special: Packed stands, hot, loud atmosphere. Stage held pep band and we had awesome student block. Fans hanging over the rails of the balcony. Cheerleaders threw balls at end of 3rd quarter. This is where the Whistler got his start on top of student pyramid in1984. I graduated in 1985 and never missed a game from 1972 til then. I played JV in 82, and 83-85 varsity.
LeRoy S Miller (Westview parent and fan)
Favorite Memory: When Wade's class moved from Shipshe to Westview somehow Coach Denny Foster took a liking to Wade and wanted him to be a “Stat keeper”. This meant attending all the games and riding the player bus. So I had to go over and drop him off and pick him up anyway so I figured I may as well get a season ticket. The acoustics were horrible in there and things always seemed very loud. The first 2 years I sat on the west side and too close to the cheering block. I asked for a better seat and wound up right behind the players bench. After every big play Bud Fink would leap up and roar.
What Made The Gym Special: The noise. It was the loudest gym I was ever in.
Favorite Memory: Basketball games. 76-77 JV team had a 4 corner press during a game and the press went on air to broadcast it before their scheduled varsity game broadcast because of how unique it was.
What Made The Gym Special: Had a nice weight lifting area at the top. Built a special area for statisticians and broadcasters to sit.
Laura Lazzaro (Westview fan, 1979)
Favorite Memory: The soccer team walked in during a basketball game with the "state" trophy. That was before there was a sanctioned state soccer tourney.
What Made The Gym Special: It was always packed. Everyone went to the games back then. We had a student cheer section and sat by grade with the seniors closest to the court. We pinned a carnation to our sweaters for sectional games.
Brenda Yoder (Westview cheerleader, 1986)
Favorite Memory: When we beat Concord the last game of my senior year in 1986 when Shawn Kemp played. When we won the entire student body section flooded the gym floor down at the end by the stage. It was amazing.
What Made The Gym Special: The energy. It was packed, always. The pep band on the stage, Dan Byler as the whistler and the pep club that would cheer with the cheerleaders. The gym was always rocking with cheers, music, or loud fans. The whole community was out. As a cheerleader, it was amazing to be in the center of the gym and lead the fans in "Here we go warriors, here we go" or "We are (clap clap) Westview (clap clap)
Roger Growcock (Westview fan, 1984)
Favorite Memory: For me, "building" the pyramid that Dan Byler then whistled from; that will always stay with me.
What Made The Gym Special: The closeness of the bleachers to the floor and the crowds cheering every team on, whether they were winning or not.
Ron Yoder (Westview player, 1984)
Favorite Memory: Having Dean Christner and Willie Yoder do play by play for the game videos in the “press box” in the upper northwest corner of the gym. A wooden press box built up in the corner.
What Made The Gym Special: Completely packed every game. Fans sitting in the upper end balcony with their legs hanging through the railings. The beginning of Dan the whistler standing on top of a 10 person pyramid made up of 1984 students.
Dennis Berkey (Westview player, 1985)
Favorite Memory: Watching Gary Yoder play, Dave Troyer against Shawn Kemp of Concord, any game involving the NECC bell (traveling trophy), running onto court and intros. My senior year we played Northridge and I rebounded ball and outlet and 2 passes later Kenlin Kropf dunked. As he ran back down court play stopped as I had got an elbow to the eyebrow and had blood running down my uniform.
What Made The Gym Special: Packed stands, hot, loud atmosphere. Stage held pep band and we had awesome student block. Fans hanging over the rails of the balcony. Cheerleaders threw balls at end of 3rd quarter. This is where the Whistler got his start on top of student pyramid in1984. I graduated in 1985 and never missed a game from 1972 til then. I played JV in 82, and 83-85 varsity.
LeRoy S Miller (Westview parent and fan)
Favorite Memory: When Wade's class moved from Shipshe to Westview somehow Coach Denny Foster took a liking to Wade and wanted him to be a “Stat keeper”. This meant attending all the games and riding the player bus. So I had to go over and drop him off and pick him up anyway so I figured I may as well get a season ticket. The acoustics were horrible in there and things always seemed very loud. The first 2 years I sat on the west side and too close to the cheering block. I asked for a better seat and wound up right behind the players bench. After every big play Bud Fink would leap up and roar.
What Made The Gym Special: The noise. It was the loudest gym I was ever in.