Tea home to area’s newest basketball club Venom seeks to bring competitive edge

Last winter, one basketball team was formed under the name Venom and it took off from there.

Bob Lundin, president and CEO of IMED Mobility in Tea, had a vision of starting a basketball club in Tea and with the help of Scott Stearns and Jordan Boots that vision has become a reality.

“We started with the idea of this club around February/March,” said Stearns and in June the green light was given to go forth with a full on basketball academy—thus formed the Venom Basketball Club.

It’s premise is simple: teach the fundamentals, instill core values of good sportsmanship and teamwork, and help athletes embrace the competitive spirit of the game of basketball.

The basketball organization, which serves players in Tea and the surrounding communities, was started to give athletes in the area a competitive outlet for basketball while keeping the cost family friendly.

Stearns, who is executive director of the Club, has coached youth basketball for over ten years. He compiled a 96-35 record and boasted 18 Tournament Championships while head coach of the Tea Cougars AAU team during the years of 2012-2015.

“We are doing this Club for the kids that love the game of basketball and really want to improve their game,” Stearns said. “We put it out there that we are a highly competitive club and the interest was instant.”

The Club recently held their inaugural tryouts for their winter teams and had over 90 kids tryout. Boys and girls teams for fifth through eighth grade will be formed. They are hoping to have ten winter teams and combined with their summer teams, Venom is looking at having 16-17 teams in a calendar year.

“We do a fair and unbiased process for tryouts,” said Lundin. “We have high quality evaluators, and a selection committee with no kids involved in the program.”

Lundin noted that even though the Club is based in Tea they have had interest from many athletes in other communities including Mitchell and Watertown.

“Our mission is to be competitive and have success in every tournament,” said Lundin. He realizes not all kids who tryout will make the team but feels there is an important lesson that can be taught from the process.

Lundin wants kids to feel the accomplishment of working hard to make the team, “I want it to be fair for everyone and it’s an important life lesson, having them earn something,” he added, “That is how they are going to be successful in life.”

Lundin said that most of the coaches are in place for the upcoming season.

“We have got great people in place,” added Stearns, “We are all on the same page when it comes to the vision of this program and everyone is buying in.”

Stearns has traveled all over with his son playing basketball and has been able to take in all that competitive basketball has to offer. He has been able to see things he likes about area clubs and now has the opportunity to change the things he doesn’t like and implement them in the Venom program.