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Staff Writer

Meadow Creek Christian School has continued to grow throughout the years in many ways.

Saturday night was another sign of how the Saints are showcasing the past while looking ahead to the future. During the 2010 Homecoming celebration, the school introduced its first Hall of Fame class.

Those familiar with Meadow Creek over the past decade should know each of the four inductees, which include Brian Budish, Julia Morrow, Amy (Budish) Wrobel and Dan Skog.

Skog is the youngest of the honorees, graduating from Meadow Creek in 2003, only to return to coach the boys’ basketball team in 2008. Given he’s been on both sides of the high school spectrum as student and instructor, his perspective of the whole experience is a bit different from other faculty.

Returning to the high school as an instructor was surreal at first for Skog. “Yeah, it was weird at first, but I’ve been here for a couple years now and I’m getting used to it,” he said. “Some of the same coaches I had are still here so it was nice to see some familiar faces in case something came I could go to them.”

Getting those familiar coaches and teachers to make the switch from calling out Dan or Skog to Mr. Skog has been the toughest part, he said, jokingly, “No one calls me Mr. Skog yet, it’s still Skog.”

Skog was the first Saint’s baseball player to be named to the all-state team after leading the basketball squad to three Minnesota Christian Athletic Association (MCAA) championships. Not only did he captain both sports, but earn all-state honors twice in basketball and honorable mention in baseball following his senior season.

After high school Skog established himself as shortstop at St. Cloud State University. During his four years with the Huskies, Skog not only captained the team, but earned MVP and all conference honors twice. He set four all-time records and is in the top-10 all-time in another 20 categories. He’s played for the Coon Rapids Red Birds amateur baseball team for the last five seasons.

Skog, who earned a degree in sports management, taught gym classes in addition to volunteering with the basketball and baseball programs. This year he’s in charge of organizing the junior high athletics program. He does everything from setting schedules with other schools, getting the field or gym ready for games, working with coaches to get what they need and getting information out to players and parents.

Being part of the first class to be inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame is something he’s very proud of.

“A lot of really good athletes have gone through here so it’s nice to have people recognize me in this way,” Skog said, finding out not more than two weeks before the ceremony. “I’m actually kind of surprised to think people think so highly of me to not only nominate me, but to vote me into the first class.”

Budish not only established many of Meadow Creek’s athletic programs and cooperatives and design, implemented and maintained new athletic fields and facilities during a 26-year tenure with the school as athletic director, but he held numerous other titles with the school as guidance counselor, class adviser, softball, boys’ soccer, boys’ and girls’ basketball and track coach. He also taught Bible, physical education and health classes before he died in 2007.

He served on the Minnesota Christian Athletic Association (MCAA) Board of Directors for more than 20 years, began the school’s affiliation with the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) and was a MSHSL Representative Assembly Delegate. In 2003-04 he was named Regional Administrator of the Year by the MSHSL.

Former Meadow Creek Superintendent John Delich said, “He was a man of character and a role model for my own six children,” during a 2007 event honoring Budish. “He had integrity, humility and was generous...generous with his time and resources.”

Morrow was a student-athlete who excelled on the court, classroom and leading groups. She was a four-year starter on the basketball team, earning all-conference honors three times (1998-2001), twice in volleyball and once in track, establishing eight school records while leading the state in rebounds in 2001. She captained the basketball and state volleyball teams while setting two school track records in 2001. She was class valedictorian, a member of the National Honor Society and class vice president.

After high school she earned All-American honors in basketball at Westmont College (California) in 2004-05, captaining the team to an appearance in the Sweet 16 National Tournament in 2004. Following college, she played professional basketball for the Ullenern 56ers (Oslo, Norway) in 2005-06.

Morrow plans on graduating this spring from the University of Minnesota Medical School.

Wrobel set the tone for girls’ athletics at Meadow Creek. She captained and earned 11 all-conference awards between soccer (four years), basketball (four years) and track (three years). She earned all-state honors in soccer between 1999-2001, leading the state in scoring in 1999. Wrobel helped guide the volleyball team to the fifth-place trophy at state and earned all-state recognition as a member of the 4x400 meter relay team.

After high school she played soccer at Winona State University, earning Northern Sun Interscholastic Conference (NSIC) Newcomer of the Year in 2002 before adding NSIC All-Conference and All-Tournament selections in 2003 and 2004. She was a two-year captain and was selected to the NCSCAA Central Region first team in 2004.

Jason Olson is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it