Among the plethora of sayings uttered by sportscaster Dick Vitale is one about players who would make the ‘all airport team.’ The reference is about players who look good while walking thru airports but never contribute much on the court.

Truth be known, South Williamsport point guard Ethan Laudenslager would never draw attention for an ‘all airport team’ and hardly draws notice when he steps off a school bus and into an opponent’s gymnasium. At first glance, he is quiet, unassuming, and at 5’10” doesn’t have to stoop to get through doorways, but he stands tall as the Mountaineers leader. Opposing coaches know all about him, and once the game begins, he plays the game at a whirlwind pace and skill set.

As the high school basketball season winds down, the Mountaineers have yet to achieve their goal of making the district playoffs. Still, it isn’t because Laudenslager, the team’s only senior who leads the squad in scoring and assists, hasn’t done all he can to help his younger teammates improve and grow.

Describing himself as being “pretty humble,” Laudenslager is not a selfish player, but one who works hard tries to do everything the teams need him to do to win and doesn’t pay a whole lot of attention to the stat lines or his name being in the newspaper. His simple explanation is, “I just want to win and get to experience the playoffs.”

South Williamsport coach Rob Houseknecht knows that Laudenslager is the type of player every coach would like to have on their team. “Ethan is a true leader. From his freshman year until now, he has been a captain at JV and varsity, and each year he gets better and better. He puts in the time and effort and has the leadership abilities that you don’t often see.

“He is very vocal, but he truly leads by example. He comes to practice and works hard every day. He puts the time and effort into the sport and is a no-nonsense type of guy. It has been a real pleasure to coach him over the years. His presence will be missed going forward, but his toughness, determination, and how he has led his teammates have set an example of how the game should be played for all the other players in our program.”

“My role has definitely changed from last year to this, Laudenslager explained. “Last year, playing with four senior starters, I was the point guard and was looking for scoring opportunities for my teammates. This year, as the only senior on the team, the coaches have encouraged me to become more of a scorer. So my mindset has changed as that has become my main team job.

“I’ve always thought of myself as a leader since I started playing. I’m known for speaking my mind. Sometimes it may not be the nicest thing to say, but if it is on mind, I am going to say it. I’m just looking out for the best interests of my teammates and to help them get better.

“I’ve never been that great of a shooter. Shooters can be streaky. I play aggressively and know if I can get to the rim that I’m taking a higher percentage shot and also increase the likelihood of getting fouled.”

His younger teammates have certainly taken notice.

“He is our team leader, and I’ve learned a lot from him,” stressed freshman Lee Habalar. “He’s helped me with my confidence and taught me a lot of offensive moves I didn’t have before. You can learn about the game by just watching the way he plays it.

“If I miss a shot, he will encourage me to keep shooting. Every time down the floor, he will be clapping and encouraging the whole team to play defense and play together. With the schedule, we play there have been some rough spots in the season, but he is always supporting us and telling us that we can play better and be good.

“He is very, very important to this team and for sure is the leader of the team. His ability to drive to the basket is unrelenting. No one on our team can do that like he does and watching how hard he plays has a positive effect on all of us.”

Laudenslager’s interest in the game was born during his days in elementary basketball, and now as a senior, he enjoys working with the youngsters who now aspire to play in his footsteps.

“I enjoy working with the younger kids playing in our elementary program. If I could give them any advice, it would be to learn the fundamentals first; that is the key. Lots of kids get in the gym, and the first thing they want to do is launch three-point shots. But I believe ball handling, foul shots, and layups need to be learned first, and then the other skills can be developed later.”

Laudenslager’s fondest memory was the first playoff game the team player last year against Canton. His biggest disappointment came a week later when the Mountaineers lost the third-place game in the District Tournament to Bloomsburg that knocked them out of the playoffs and a chance to go to States.

Looking back, Laudenslager reasoned, “If I had it to do over again, I would have liked to have been more confident in my scoring abilities as a freshman and sophomore. I always took pride in my defense, passing and rebounding, and never much thought of myself as a scorer. I realize now my offensive skills could have been better when I was younger.”

Off the basketball court, he enjoys cross country, track, running, mountain biking, and is an advocate of outdoor activities, which includes fly fishing, describing himself as ‘a good fisherman.’ Following his high school graduation, he will be attending Lock Haven University to pursue a career in education.