­—Photo by Jamie Knapp/Storm Lake Times Pilot Newell-Fonda girls basketball coach Dick Jungers (center) was presented the John Wooden Legacy Award prior to Thursday’s game. Presenting the award are Ras Vanderloo (left) and Tom Betz from the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association.

NEWELL — The Newell-Fonda girls basketball team watched almost in disbelief as the program’s remarkable 100-game Twin Lakes Conference win streak ended with a heartbreaking one-point loss at Emmetsburg near the end of last month.

The Mustangs, currently ranked second in Class 1A with a 19-2 record, are again among the favorites to contend for a state title this postseason. Head coach Dick Jungers’ squad has reached the championship round in three consecutive years and been to state eight straight times, winning four championships since 2015 and advancing to seven finals in the last eight tries.

Yet for the first time in a full decade, this Newell-Fonda squad won’t have a TLC crown to add to its list of accomplishments.

Jungers is the ultimate competitor. His attention to detail and ability to focus on the task at hand is legendary, with an incredible 532 wins in 24 years at the helm — an average of over 22 per season.

The statistics, records and overall achievement are a big reason why Jungers was named a 2026 John R. Wooden Legacy Award recipient earlier this week. The honor — which goes to only two high school head coaches per state annually — stayed in the area this season, with St. Edmond’s Adolph Kochendorfer being recognized on the boys’ side.

The reaction to the Emmetsburg setback, though, may be what sets Jungers apart from so many other coaches in the field — and why the program has sustained such an elite level of success during his nearly quarter of a century at the helm.

“Of course everyone is initially disappointed after a game like that,” said Jungers, who was presented his award on Thursday in the Newell-Fonda High School gym. “We were behind by double digits, the kids fought all the way back to take a two-point lead with 30 seconds left, Emmetsburg hits a three-pointer, then we get a decent look to win but it doesn’t drop. Our players felt like they had let the program down.

“Here’s what I wanted them to understand, though: win or lose, the experience is the same. The outcome may be different, but you work hard, control what you can and accept the end result. Then it becomes how do you react to (the loss)? What does our emotional response look like? Maybe going through that will lead to bigger and better things down the road, and teach us a lesson we otherwise wouldn’t have had (in victory). If you look at it that way, it changes the perception of everything. And that’s what I want our kids to always understand. Life is all about how you react to things that happen.”

The bigger picture is something Jungers continues to embrace as the Newell-Fonda School District’s superintendent reaches the home stretch of a decorated career on the sidelines. And the more Jungers preaches the process, relationships and trust over the bottom line, the more the winning takes care of itself.

“As a coach, your biggest responsibility is to find ways to unlock the potential of your players both on and off the court,” Jungers said. “No one has the same skill set. No one has the same personality. You have to find those buttons to push with each one and figure out their ‘why.’ If you can do that, and get on the same page with a goal, you see it ‘click,’ so to speak. But you can’t be hyper-fixated on trophies and championships. We get that wrong a lot in our society, especially at the youth and travel levels. It should be about steady and incremental improvement…getting better every day in order to be the best version of yourself. And we, as coaches, need to bring out the best version of you.”

Jungers found out about being Iowa’s 2026 Wooden Legacy winner on Monday.

“Of course I’m humbled and flattered,” Jungers said. “You don’t get into coaching to win awards, but (the recognition) is amazing for my staff, our players both past and present, and the (N-F) community.

“Any time you are given something that mentions John Wooden…he’s the basketball gold standard. And it was a surreal experience, having so much of my family (in attendance), as well as (presenters) Ras Vanderloo and Tom Betz (representing the IBCA) – two people I have a deep admiration and respect for. Just a very special night.”

In a program built on a culture of nearly-unprecedented success, Jungers continues to dive into facing fears, failure and adversity.

“We talk a lot about working through the inevitable physical and mental frustration,” Jungers said. “If you miss six or seven shots in a row, move on and focus on the next one. As human beings, you have to learn how to deal with failure and struggle. That takes a certain mindset. We will all have painful or difficult movements in our lives.

“When you can dissect the hard and control what you can, things become more manageable. You have to be persistent and resilient. It can start here on a basketball court when you’re young, but hopefully, it then applies to the real world as you get older and become an adult.”

As far as the award goes, Jungers added, “I can’t thank our support system here enough.”

“Everyone buys in, and no one takes things for granted, so I am very blessed,” Jungers said of the N-F community. “I might help with the structure, but they have (collectively) created this. I’m surrounded by top-notch people. I have learned so much about myself and learned so much from them through the years. It’s a little overwhelming to stop and think about it in the middle of the season, because the way I’m wired, I’m focused on Boyer Valley (N-F’s first regional opponent this Tuesday).”

The John Wooden Legacy Award seeks to honor scholastic basketball coaches around the country who are educators and have achieved excellence on the court, in the classroom and in the community. The criteria for the honor is rooted in the ideals of education, longevity, character, service and excellence.