Trinity basketball enjoys meal, team bonds at Putnam

Word of mouth, local connections, and inventive pre-planning all led to a memorable experience for the Dickinson Trinity Titans in Carrington at the Putnam House.

The Titan varsity and junior varsity girls basketball teams were in town to participate in the two-day Carrington Shootout, which featured the host school along with the Northern Cass boys and girls teams, the Nedrose and Watford City boys and the Hazen girls along with Trinity.

Planning to use the Putnam for a team meal was a strategy concocted by a group of Trinity parents which included DeAnn Scheeler, married to Head Coach Jared Scheeler and mom of Titan player Annabel, and a first cousin to Carrington resident Cody Stangeland.

"We were looking into creative ways to feed the team, knowing that there are limited dining options in Carrington, and that several teams were staying there," DeAnn said.

Through a work connection, a dad of one of the players heard about the Putnam House, and inquired about its rental availability for the weekend.

"Most of the meal, we decided to prepare it ahead of time, but we needed a small kitchen to warm up the food and serve the team after the game," she noted.

The Titans' team meal consisted of chicken, pasta, salad and dessert. Scheeler said that the pasta was cooked on site, and the oven was used to prepare breadsticks.

"They had pots and pans available, and a sink to clean up afterwards," she added.

The turn-of-the-century ambience and atmosphere at the historic Putnam House, built in 1907 by local lumber magnate Thomas N. Putnam and his wife, Clara, was a big hit with the Titan players.

"The table and chair arrangement was perfect for team building," Scheeler said. "The girls even played a little piano and had a sing-along."

Board games also helped pass the hours during their free time away from the basketball court.

The positive experience at the Putnam made a believer out of Scheeler, and she made sure to leave a glowing review on the house's Facebook page.

"Our girls basketball team rented this while in town for games and they had a great experience! It is a fun and unique venue, and we were able to bring in food to serve the girls. It is a great option in Carrington!" she posted on Dec. 28.

Scheeler said the team hopes to come back to the Carrington Shootout next year, and their experience could lead to repeat engagements at the Putnam in the future.

"I believe our volleyball team has [CHS] on the schedule next fall as well," she said. "The people are so friendly, and the school is beautiful."

The Putnam House is located at 533 Main St. It was purchased by the Foster County Historical Society in 2001, and is a popular space for get-togethers, wedding receptions and more.

To reserve the venue, call (701) 652-2090, e-mail [email protected], or visit their website at putnamhouse.org.