Jaden and his father talk about signing to Western and what it means to play at the next level
On April 14, Western Washington University signed Lynden Christian High School basketball player Jaden DeBoer to a National Letter of Intent to play varsity basketball.
Jaden DeBoer is coming into Western after scoring 1,000 points during his high school career.
He played three years for Lynden Christian and then moved with his family to Valley Christian High School in Phoenix Arizona during his senior year.
During Jaden DeBoer's high school career, his father Roger DeBoer was the head coach at Lynden Christian, but his father said his senior season is where Jaden DeBoer really took off.
“During his last year at Valley Christian High School is where he really exploded and started playing at a very high level,” Roger DeBoer said.
Jaden and Roger DeBoer are extremely excited about Jaden DeBoer’s opportunity to play for Western.
“Jaden is talking about it all the time,” Roger DeBoer said. "I can vouch for him, he’s absolutely jacked.”
Jaden DeBoer said he is stoked to finally get the chance to be on a college campus.
Jaden DeBoer has been playing basketball since he was four years old. His father would take him to his games as a kid.
“I don’t remember not being in the gym as a kid,” Jaden DeBoer said.
His interest in basketball started young, with his dad bringing him to games.
“I used to coach summer league games with me holding him in my arms, it’s what he has grown up doing,” Roger DeBoer said.
Jaden DeBoer is coming off a 16-0 season at Valley Christian High School. Although his team lost in the state quarterfinals, Jaden DeBoer dropped 37 points with nine 3-pointers.
Jaden DeBoer averaged 22.7 points per game in his last season at Valley Christian, earning him a number of titles. Jaden DeBoer earned State Player of the Year honors, 3A Metro West Player of the Year, and Regional Most Outstanding Player.
Tony Dominguez, the head coach of the men’s basketball team at Western, is thrilled to acquire a player of Jaden DeBoer’s skill.
“We are very excited to gain the talent and character Jaden possesses for our program, and could not be happier that he is joining the Viking family,” Dominguez said.
“[Jaden’s dream] is important to us as parents because it’s important to Jaden,” Roger DeBoer said. “For me, balancing being both [his] coach and dad I wanted to make a commitment to Jaden, that this was [his] journey.”
A big reason that Jaden and Roger DeBoer chose to sign to Western was that Dominguez shares their faith and values.
“The part that I probably enjoy the most as a dad is watching [my] son interact with a coach that he connects with so well,” Roger DeBoer said. “He wanted to be with a coach who has a strong faith, was strong in his family life, and Western really checked off all those boxes.”
Coming off of a stellar last year in high school basketball, Jaden DeBoer is joining the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Champion Vikings, and he couldn’t be more ready.
“I just can’t wait to be there,” Jaden DeBoer said.
Lucas Bohannon is a third-year visual journalism student and reporter for The Front. His section is sports and Esports-related news. His writing has appeared in the Current for Green River College and his Twitter is @Kingg_Luke.
Lucas Bohannon is a third-year visual journalism student and reporter for The Front. His section is sports and Esports-related news. His writing has appeared in the Current for Green River College and his Twitter is @Kingg_Luke.
