Valparaiso senior Jonny Klumpe’s dedication to the program is unquestioned.
As an example, Vikings coach Ben Lieske noted that Klumpe’s oldest brother, Nate, got married in Disney World earlier this month.
“Jonny made sure that he only missed one practice, just the day of the wedding,” Lieske said. “He literally left after practice on Friday and got back in time for practice on Monday.
“That’s just the type of person and teammate he is. Not many players would do that. But Jonny’s going to be there as much as he can. That’s just a cool thing about him.”
Klumpe, a 6-foot-2 guard/forward, has remained committed to the Vikings (12-11) despite reduced playing time. After starting in the season opener, he missed two games with mononucleosis. When he returned to the team, his position had changed.
“Jonny doesn’t care about playing time,” Lieske said. “He started our very first game, but then he got mono, and his role has diminished throughout our season. But he shows up and works hard anyway.
“Jonny epitomizes a lot of what a consummate teammate happens to be. He still plays for us off the bench, but he kind of fell out of the rotation. One of the reasons I love him so much, he’s never going to complain about his minutes or his role. He’s always going to be there for his teammates, support his teammates.”
Klumpe’s teammates, including junior guard/forward Maddux Wagner, have noticed.
“If anyone else is in that situation, they’d probably fold and just give up,” Wagner said. “But not Jonny. His character is very strong. He stuck with it. He still has the same attitude as when he was a starter. He hasn’t let his playing time affect who he is and how he acts. That’s really good for him and for us. It shows other people how to act.”
Klumpe, who averages 0.8 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.4 assists, is a captain along with Wagner and senior guard Michael Reeves.
“Jonny’s a great teammate,” Wagner said. “He’s never down on anyone. He’s going to uplift people. He’s a great leader. That’s the reason why he’s a team captain. We voted for that, so that just speaks about what the team thinks of him. He’s always trying to help people out. If anyone has a problem, he’s going to take the time to explain it to them.
“He’s always trying to figure out stuff. He has a good eye. He’s a really good film guy. He finds all the little stuff that most normal people wouldn’t find. He’s a very important part of this team. He brings the team morale up a lot. He keeps us all connected.”
Lieske, who described Klumpe as “by far the best human I know,” has built that relationship through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes too. Lieske has been the organization’s sponsor at the school for eight years, and Klumpe has been a leader since his sophomore year after joining as a freshman.
Klumpe has helped increase the number of members from 15 to as many as 150, with an average of 90 attendees for the typical weekly Tuesday morning meeting.
“Jonny walks the walk,” Lieske said.
Klumpe, who also took a mission trip to Puerto Rico the summer before his freshman year, recalled the first time he spoke in front of the group.
“I froze up twice,” he said. “I froze up for a whole minute at one point. But I’ve come a long way since then. I found a way to speak in front of people.”
Communication is a significant part of Klumpe’s life. He aspires to be a play-by-play announcer and said his “dream job” is calling the Final Four.
Klumpe has already gained considerable experience. Since his junior year, he has spent part of his mornings at the Porter County Career Center for its program in video and radio production and media studies.
Klumpe has announced Vikings football games and area basketball games, including for the Valparaiso girls team and the girls’ Porter County Conference Tournament. He’s scheduled to broadcast the boys’ Class 1A Kouts Sectional next week. He also hosts a sports talk radio show.
Klumpe spoke with Robbie Hummel, the former Vikings and Purdue star who has become a college basketball broadcaster, during the team’s annual golf outing over the summer.
After graduating from Valparaiso, Klumpe intends to enroll in Indiana’s Media School. But he’s not quite ready for his playing career to end.
The Vikings will finish the regular season Thursday with a game at Hammond Central and then will begin the Class 4A Chesterton Sectional with a semifinal game against Hobart on March 6.
“We have to be completely locked in for sectionals,” Klumpe said. “We want to go on a run in the postseason and also just cherish all of these moments because I’m a senior.
“My biggest thing on the sports side of things is just to be kind to the people around you. You can’t win as a team if you don’t enjoy your teammates’ company and everybody’s not playing together and being kind to each other.”
Klumpe lives those values in his family too. He has three older brothers and an older sister. Adopted when he was 1 1/2 years old, Klumpe said he’s the youngest by “7 1/2 years to the day,” with his brother Sam turning 26 on Tuesday.
“Being around older people my entire life has helped me mature a lot,” Klumpe said. “I’ve been complimented. On that mission trip, everyone thought I was a junior in high school when I went, and I hadn’t even taken a class in high school yet.
“My family’s always important. My parents have been great to me my entire life, and I’ve grown up with four amazing siblings who all played sports in high school. Having this close family, family who loves me, makes it easier to love the people around me. I don’t have any memory of not being with my family. I couldn’t have asked for a better family. I’m incredibly lucky to have gotten into the situation I got into.”
After a practice earlier this week, Lieske noticed Klumpe was picking up all of the water bottles in the gym to take into the locker room.
“I’m very proud of the type of person he is,” Lieske said. “Those are the types of players that motivate you as a coach, and they really round out a team. He embodies team first.”
