A Marshfield alumnus with a passion for basketball is sharing his story in a new book, Walk-on Warrior.
Born and raised in Marshfield, John Willkom, an ‘03 graduate of Marshfield High School now living in Portland, went onto land a spot on the Marquette men’s Division 1 basketball team, work for former Utah coach and ESPN commentator, Rick Majerus, co-found the Wisconsin Playmakers AAU program, and work for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Those experiences would shape his life and provide plenty of stories for a lifetime. “I had written down stories for about 13 years, with the intention to someday share them with my kids. During the last couple years, I started to think about the impact this book could have on other people, particularly with kids from small towns that aspire to play big-time college sports,” said Willkom. “I hope this book inspires people that anything is possible if you put in the work and believe in yourself.”
Walk on Warrior focuses on his experiences as player at Marquette in the 2004-2005 season and the discipline required to make it there, a journey that is rooted in Marshfield.
“I grew up going to ‘Dapper Dons’ basketball camps starting in second grade. At the time, Coach Mike Ellens and assistant, Kevin Orr, ran a great camp, and I always left motivated to become a better player,” he said. “At St. John’s Elementary School, I was fortunate to play with a great group of guys, and coach Jim Mikula taught me the fundamentals of the game and got me involved in some 3 on 3 tournaments in the area.”
Willkom continued to play at Holy Family Middle School. “It was current Columbus Catholic boys basketball coach, Joe Konieczny’s, first coaching gig, and he pushed me to not only be a better basketball player but a disciplined worker in everything that I did.”
After a year at Marshfield Columbus, Willkom transferred to Marshfield High School. “I played on a great team as a senior in 2003. Guys like Lou Janssen, Andy Mikula, Brandon Stroik, AJ Rasmussen, and Josh Witt led the Tigers to our best finish in several years.”
High school would begin the arduous routine of preparing himself for the game. At 6 a.m. every morning before school, he could be found working out at the high school fieldhouse.
“During the summers, I’d work for Joe and Jake Konieczny’s lawn care business,” said Willkom. “After eating supper with my family, I’d head to the gym and often workout for three to four hours,” said Willkom. “It was exhausting, and there were a lot of days when I wanted to quit. I was fortunate to have a mentor like Joe that provided me with a bigger vision for my life and challenged me to maximize my talent.”
While the book is about basketball, readers will enjoy meeting the different personalities he encountered during his journey to succeed.
“I wanted to be open and authentic with what I wrote, and I hope people will appreciate that. There are some great stories in there about strength and conditioning sessions, games against arch rivals like Wisconsin, meeting professional athletes, guarding future NBA point guard, Travis Diener, and much more,” said Willkom. “I also had the pleasure of working for former Utah basketball coach, Rick Majerus, and I could’ve written another book just about our interactions.”
While Marshfield is considered a small town, it has turned out notable athletes such as Andrew Rock (USA gold medalist in track & field), Adam Stenavich (NFL), Luke Knauf (Wisconsin Football), Garry Martin (University of South Carolina track & field) and Rich Seubert (NFL).
“Marshfield has produced some incredibly talented people, and it’s a credit to great schools and a community that supports its young people,” Willkom said.
Today, Willkom lives with his wife, Allison, and their daughter, Avery in Portland. He continues his passion for basketball by coaching youth and playing pick-up games at the local gym.
Walk on Warrior: Drive, Discipline, and the Will to Win can be purchased on Amazon.
Author: News Desk
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