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Editor’s Note: This is the first of a three-part series on former high school athletes raising high school athletes in today’s world.

BLOOMING PRAIRIE — The competition is nonstop at the Schwarz household.

After a day of workouts, practices and summer basketball, the kids are on the court playing a game of basketball. On some days it’s pickleball, kick ball or a makeshift indoor mini golf course, and others it’s just a race to see who can get somewhere first.

“It keeps us active throughout the whole year. I think I would get bored if I wasn’t doing a sport, I would just get home and do nothing,” said Claire, a senior, and the oldest of the family.

Last year Claire was teammates with her freshman sister Elaine in volleyball, basketball and track and field. Elaine is one of three triplets and the brothers Andrew and Joseph compete in football, basketball and track and field.

Having four kids in high school this year will be a test for parents Jacob and Pam, who were both three-sport athletes themselves in high school. Especially when they throw themselves into competitions with the kids.

“We like to beat our parents more, unless it’s against our rivals,” said Andrew.

The competitions are fierce, but fun spirited, with neither sibling admitting they’ve ever lost to a family member in anything.

Always on the go

When Jacob and Pam were in high school, things were much different. Jacob competed in football, basketball and track and field at Fillmore Central, and Pam competed in softball, volleyball and basketball while attending high school in Onalaksa, Wisconsin

Jacob’s basketball team had open gyms and they played in a summer league at St. Mary’s University in Winona, while Pam rode her bike to whatever park and recreation sport she could get to during the summer. Neither of them spent a lot of time in the weight room.

With their children, the Schwarz’s have driven as far as Chicago for summer AAU basketball and their kids train in a strength and conditioning camp in Blooming Prairie.

“It’s good family time since we all like being in the gym. One of my favorite things is watching my kids play, as long as they want to be doing it,” Jacob said. “There are a lot worse things that they could be doing. I once heard that you can either pay to get them out of trouble or pay to keep them out of trouble, and that’s always stuck with me. None of them are going to the NBA or WNBA, but they’re getting better and they play it because they love the game. That’s what it’s all about. As long as they keep loving it, and don’t get burnt out, it’s a lot of fun.”

The Schwarz’s turned this summer of basketball trips into their family vacation as everyone came along and worked in other activities around basketball activities. During the season, things get even more hectic, and it’s rare when Pam and Jacob get to watch a game together.

“One of the hardest things is that we’re dividing and conquering,” Pam said. “Usually one of us is at everything, but a lot of times we don’t get to watch anything together. They were all in track together this spring, so that was nice. It’s a lot of running around. It’s expensive too.”

More than a game

What Jacob and Pam remember most about their time as athletes is the connections and friendships they made. Being from a small school like BP, Jacob found sports as a way to make connections with his classmates and the community.

“I still have relationships from back in my playing days, and it’s more than a game,” said Jacob, who is the elementary principal at BP. “There are a lot of life lessons you take from the wins and losses, and maybe you don’t see it when you’re playing, but over time it shows up. It’s such a small part of your life, but it lasts for so long.”

Pam, who is a teacher in Austin, has taken her lessons from sports to her career.

“I still have friends from sports,” she said. “ It builds a lot of great character, skills, and time management. It’s fun to watch the kids grow up and do as good or better than we did.”

The Schwarz children are already learning some of the lessons their parents went through. While they’re all in on sports, they know there is more to being a student than just competing on game nights.

“I get very competitive with every sport I play,” Elaine said. “It can be hard, because you can have a game one night and a really hard test the next day.”

Community pride

In Blooming Prairie, sports are king.

The Awesome Blossoms have had trips to the state tournament in football and softball in recent years and the boys and girls basketball teams are usually in the mix when section tournament play begins.

The community support for home games is second to none and athletes are well known when they’re out in public or at school. Joseph and Andrew have yet to play in a varsity game, but they know their time is coming if they keep working hard.

“We just practice every day. The varsity team is really good, so we’re just trying to get better and work out as much as we can,” Joseph said. “Catching a football can help you go up for a rebound in basketball. Playing different sports helps you get better.”

As the triplets start high school this year and Claire finishes her senior year, Jacob and Pam will be as busy as ever. But it still won’t compare to how busy they were when the triplets were born and the household was demanding.

“We had a lot of help when the kids were younger,” Pam said. “Ladies from our church came over and helped me out and we had a lot of family and friends help. I didn’t have enough hands to take care of all three (babies) at a time. It definitely takes a village.”

Sports keep the Schwarz’s busy, but they haven’t let it damper their connection and it’s also made them much more connected to their community.

“We try to have family dinners here and there when we’re all together at home,” Claire said. “Blooming Prairie is a good community and everyone gets around really well. We get a lot of support and everyone is in it together.”

She also perfectly summed up why she keeps playing three sports throughout high school.

“The feeling of winning is really nice,” Claire said.