Rising Stars Basketball Celebrating 20th Anniversary Of Making A Positive Impact On Young Lives
Photos submitted – Feature Photo – Rogers Laugand and Joe Deas – Twenty Years at the helm of Rising Stars Basketball
An absolute passion for the sport of basketball and the desire of two men, Joe Deas and Rogers Laugand, to teach the sport and life lessons as well, to youngsters from the Clarion County area and beyond, led them to establish the Clarion Rising Stars Basketball program, along with Angelo Anderson of Love INC of Clarion County.
The Rising Stars program is celebrating their milestone 20th Anniversary this year.
It is very interesting, or should I say, amazing in the way Coach Deas and Coach Laugand were brought together.
Coach Deas mentioned, “I am originally from Chicago, Illinois, by way of Kansas City. I was in the Air Force, and they took me out to Missouri, and then I ended up here in Pennsylvania because of employment, you know, government work.
“I work for the Social Security administration in DuBois now. Then I met my wife out here, and that’s basically how I met Coach Rogers.
“We had a mutual friend that lived next to my wife. Then we found out that we had the love of the game. Our relationship built and evolved from there. Now that we’re dealing with families, it’s more than just basketball, but that’s where it initially started.
Coach Laugand is a prominent higher education administrator at Pennsylvania Western University, where he serves as the Assistant Vice President for CORE (Community Opportunity, Responsibility and Engagement). He is a frequent keynote speaker and advocate for student equity and support at the university. He leads initiatives focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and multicultural affairs and directs the Building Bridges program.
Coach Laugand has been a fixture on the campus for over three decades, working across the California, Clarion and Edinboro campuses. He is an alumnus of Clarion University, having earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics there. He is a frequent keynote speaker and advocate for student equity and support at the university.
He is a native of New Orleans.
So you have Coach Deas from Chicago, coming to DuBois through his work and Coach Laugand coming to Clarion for his education, both with a love for the game and hopes to share that love, life lessons and much more with young players.
Coincidence? I’d say it was meant to be.
Since its founding, Clarion Rising Stars has grown into one of the region’s premier AAU basketball programs. While developing basketball talent remains important, the program’s mission extends far beyond the court. Rising Stars uses basketball to teach discipline, hard work, teamwork, responsibility, perseverance, and leadership—qualities that help young people succeed in all areas of life.
“Over the years, we’ve practiced at several different locations, often scheduling around the availability of other groups,” he said. “We started at Joe’s Gym, where we still practice today. We also spent time at A-C Valley High School in Foxburg and even used a small community center in the area whenever space was available.”
Despite the challenges, the program always found a way to provide opportunities for its athletes.
Today, Joe’s Gym serves as the home of the Rising Stars and has become a cornerstone of the program’s success. The facility proudly displays a sign that reads, “Home of the Rising Stars,” a fitting tribute to the countless players who have trained, developed, and grown there over the past two decades.
Twenty years later, Rising Stars continues to impact lives, proving that the lessons learned through basketball can last a lifetime.
Joe Ferguson, former C-L Head Coach and longtime supporter of Rising Stars, shared, “Rising Stars is a well deserved group that has done a terrific job of grooming basketball players in our area, for many years, to enhance their skills at the game.
“I’ve known Coach Rogers since the late 90’s and have nothing but highest respect for him as a coach and great encourager of the youth in our area. He’s a great person, teacher, and coach!
“In 2006, we were able to jointly get together, and make Joe’s Gym his official home for practices and training. While he was preparing his players to compete at that higher level, I was getting started in my high school varsity basketball coaching career.
“As that high school basketball coach, I was a benefactor of many of his players, playing for my teams over my tenure of 17 years.
“I’m not the only coach that benefitted from his off season training. All of the players that have played for Rising Stars greatly enhanced their respective high school coaches and teams to compete at a higher level!
“Coach Rogers has also surrounded himself with other coaches like Joe Deas and Fred Port, who have dedicated a lot of time to helping the program be one of the best anywhere around.
“Because of the players who ended up in our Clarion-Limestone program, we were able to compete in (9) Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference Championships, from 2012 through 2023, and win (7) of those KSAC games!
“We also won (2) District IX championships and made state playoffs (6) times and also had (7) seasons with (20) or more wins.
“All statistics aside, I would be remiss to not mention the friendship we’ve had since I’ve known Coach.
“We actually played together in pick up basketball at CUP and at Clarion-Limestone at times over the earlier years and have continued to enjoy our friendship through the game of basketball as coaches.
“I was also able to coach his (2) sons. As a parent and coach, he always treated me with respect and encouragement! He is a class act, a great coach, teacher, and friend!
“I want to congratulate Coach Laugand, Coach Joe Deas, Coach Fred Port, and all others who have helped with the Rising Stars program on their twenty year anniversary. I would also encourage anyone who is interested in enhancing their basketball skills to contact them.”
Coach Deas and Coach Laugand mentioned, “Our mission is to use the game of basketball, to teach the game of life, basically. And so, we try to relate, make it relatable to life, the things that we teach, that’s relevant to the game, but also to life, leadership, responsibility and commitment, those sort of things.”
The program started with 11 players and two boys’ teams, a 10/11U team, and a 12U team. In 2007, a 13U girls’ team of 10 players was established and coached by Fred Port and Amy Shannonhouse. At its peak, there have been as many as 70-80 players in the program. Typically, there are about 60 players in the program.
In 2009, the Clarion Rising Stars 17U boys team won the National Alliance of Youth Sports (NAYS) National Championship. In that same year, the team was named the Grand Marshall for the 2009 Clarion Autumn Leaf Festival Parade.
In 2011, the Kiwanis Club and the VFW Club of Clarion became big supporters of the Rising Stars program. In 2015, Rising Stars became an Adidas-sponsored program.
Two years later, in 2017, the 15U team won the Adidas Invitational National Tournament in Indianapolis. Between 2008 and 2020, Rising Stars teams qualified or played in AAU National tournaments in Orlando, and Hampton, Virginia. Also, during that time, the boys’ and girls’ teams have played in national and NCAA certified events in Louisville, Charlotte, New York City, State College, Las Vegas and Cleveland.
Over the past two decades, Rising Stars has established itself as one of the region’s premier AAU basketball programs, while also providing guidance and life skills for today’s youth to help ensure opportunities for long-term success. Many players from their program have played at the NCAA Division I, II, and III levels.
A high percentage of Rising Stars athletes continue their education after high school, attending colleges, universities, and other post-secondary programs. The Rising Stars organization believes that sports can benefit individuals in many aspects of life. The same qualities that lead to success on the basketball court—hard work, discipline, teamwork, perseverance, accountability, and resilience—are the very qualities that help individuals succeed in life.
Coach Laugand mentioned, “We’ve had several players who played, who came through our program, and played college basketball. We have a couple of them currently, going to be freshmen playing next year.
“We’ve had many former players go on to achieve tremendous success after their basketball careers, becoming doctors, educators, business professionals, and leaders in their communities. We’ve also had several alumni remain involved in the game as high school coaches and referees. Yeah, so they’ve kind of stayed around the game through those vehicles, either by coaching or reffing.”
We’d like to share quotes from some of those who have benefited immensely from the principles and skills they received from Rising Stars.
Kai Skinner, Doctor of Physical Therapy at Titusville Area Hospital and Titusville High School Basketball Coach
Kai’s welcome to the the staff at Titusville Hospital
“I’d definitely like to congratulate Rising Stars and thank Coach Roger’s, Coach Deas and all the other coaches who played a role in this program (names that come to mind are Coach Port, Coach Flowers, Coach Braun) for everything they’ve done over the years.
“What they’ve built has had a huge impact on the area, not just in developing basketball skills, but in shaping work ethic, discipline, and confidence in young athletes.
“Programs like that are rare, and the consistency over 20 years says a lot about their commitment. I’m grateful I had the chance to be a part of it.”
“A little background on me: I played high school basketball at Titusville Area High School where I am the all time leading scorer and now the head coach. I will be in my second year this coming winter.
“I played 4 years of college basketball at Westminster college. My experience with Rising Stars was a big part of my development growing up—it gave me exposure to competitive play, great coaching, and a strong foundation that carried over into other areas of my life.
“Now, I’m working as a Doctor of Physical Therapy at Titusville Area Hospital after completing schooling at the University of Pittsburgh. A big focus of my practice is working with athletes, especially in injury rehab and return-to-play progression.
“I also work closely with concussion management and protocols, helping athletes safely return to sport after head injuries. Being able to work with local athletes and keep them healthy, confident, and performing at a high level is something I take a lot of pride in.
“Rising Stars played a role in getting a lot of us to where we are today, and it’s great to see it still going strong.”
Attorney, Noah R. Port, Litigation Associate at the Fairness Center, in Harrisburg
“Coach Laugand and Coach Deas (and Coach Port — although I tend to call him Dad),
“Congrats on 20 years! Two decades of coaching. Two decades of basketball. But, most importantly, two decades of leadership.
“Twenty years is quite an achievement. And that is all a credit to you and the dedication you have shown to the program and the athletes who have passed through it over the years. In 20 years, you have committed a lot to building the Rising Stars: weeknights spent at practices, weekends spent traveling all over the region and beyond for tournaments, and countless hours to the game of basketball. And that’s a showcase of your dedication to the Rising Stars’ mission, to teaching basketball to countless athletes in the area, and to allowing all of us Rising Stars alumni to learn basketball at a high level, to get exposed to an elevated showcase of skills, and to better ourselves as athletes and individuals.
“And because of your commitment, countless Rising Stars did rise. They elevated their game and exposure, excelled on the high school court, and, in many cases, continued on to the next level.
“Personally, while my high school basketball career at Clarion-Limestone was less than illustrious (my sister Lily, a fellow Rising Stars alum, is the star basketball player in the family), I was nevertheless a part of teams that won a District 9 Championship and multiple KSAC Championships.
“Rising Stars alumni on those teams were a big reason for that success. And that was true of many Clarion County teams who enjoyed success during my playing days. Who were those teams’ best player(s)? Chances are they had spent time as a Rising Star.
“But beyond the game of basketball, the Rising Stars helped prepare me for the game of life. Amongst the countless memories, there is one Rising Stars experience that will stay with me for a long time.
“I was in middle school at the time. We were playing in a tournament near Cleveland. And for the first few games, we got embarrassed. We got played off the floor and had no business being in that gym. And we had no business wearing those Carolina blue Rising Stars jerseys. Then, Coach Laugand gathered us in the corner of the gym. And he challenged us. He called us out. We weren’t playing up to the program’s standard of excellence. Well, we heard that message. And ultimately, we won that tournament.
“That’s the result of a coach who cares, who gets the best out of his players, and who wants the best for them. That’s a Rising Stars coach. That’s Coach Laugand and Coach Deas.
“Now, as an attorney at the Fairness Center in Harrisburg, PA, I’m at a firm that likewise has a standard for excellence. And, in this stage of life, I still draw on the skills I calloused during my time as a Rising Star—dedication to a craft, commitment to bettering oneself, learning to work as a team toward a common goal, and embracing a standard of excellence.
“So, thank you, Rising Stars! Thank you, Coach Laugand! Thank you, Coach Deas! For 20 years, you have given so many youth athletes an unmatched opportunity to learn and excel at the game of basketball. I’m grateful to be one of the beneficiaries.
“Please take time to enjoy this remarkable milestone and all the fruits of your hard work and dedication. Wishing nothing but the very best to you and the Rising Stars in all future endeavors!”
Dominika Logue 2022 Union High Graduate, 2026 PennWest Clarion Graduate played basketball at PennWest from 2022 to 2026
“I am incredibly grateful and proud to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Rising Stars program. Wearing the Rising Stars jersey comes with a legacy: you must work hard, give your all, think strategically, and never give up. I began playing for Rising Stars at 13 and continued until I was 18, a period that not only shaped my skills on the court but also ignited my lifelong passion for basketball.
“This program was instrumental in the success that I had in my high school career at Union High School (2018–2022), and continuing my basketball journey at PennWest Clarion (2022–2026). I would not have achieved the honor of being an All-Conference and All-District player, and I certainly would not have scored over 1,000 points without the help of the Rising Stars program.
“I have countless cherished memories from my time with Rising Stars, whether it was playing under Barry and Rob Foust, Mark Benevenuti, Dewey Irwin, or Coach Rogers and Coach Deas. Looking back, I am especially grateful for the coaches who never let me give up and always held me accountable. It is no surprise that this program has thrived for 20 years—Coach Rogers and Coach Deas bring a level of intensity, passion, and professionalism to every game that makes competition exciting, motivates you to improve every day, and instills a love for the sport that lasts well beyond the court.
“If you want to become a skilled, fundamentally sound basketball player, Rising Stars is the AAU program to join. But more importantly, if you want to learn lessons and skills that will carry you through life beyond basketball, Rising Stars is one of the best places to do so.
“I would like to extend a sincere thank you to my coaches and congratulations to Coach Rogers and Coach Deas for 20 years of a successful program.”
Domenika graduated this year with a Bachelor of Science in biology with honors. She will be going to medical school at LECOM this summer. she have been awarded in college academic all conference and academic all district.
In high school she was KSAC All-Conference and All-District Nine.
Domenika plans to practice medicine in orthopedics with a sports medicine focus.
Cole Morris, Assistant Coach at Ferrum College, Ferrum, Virginia
“Happy 20 years to the program. It’s amazing to see how many lives this program has impacted over the years, and I’m thankful I got the chance to be a part of it.
“Coach Rogers, thank you for taking a chance on me when I wasn’t very good at basketball yet and helping shape me into the player and person I became. From becoming a 1,000-point scorer at Union High School to being a 3-year starter and 2-year team captain at Penn State DuBois, none of that happens without the foundation, confidence, and work ethic you helped build in me early on.
“More than anything, the energy and passion you coached with still impacts me today in the way I coach basketball myself. The way you showed up every day with intensity and belief in your players is something I try to carry forward with the kids I coach now.
“Coach Deas, thank you as well for all the support, guidance, and time you poured into all of us over the years. I’ll always appreciate what you both did for me and so many others. Congratulations again on 20 great years and many more to come!”
Cole previously served as an assistant coach at NAIA UT Southern, Pulaski TN (2024–25), NCAA DII Coker University (2023–24), and DIII Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston (2022–23).
Professional Basketball Player Steve Kelly, Who Plays in the Irish National League. He plays as a point guard for the Utility Trust St Paul’s Lakers (also known as St Pauls Killarney).
“I wanted to give a huge thank you to Coach Rogers for everything he has done for me. He had given me the opportunity to be apart of rising stars and play for them.
“He had helped a lot with my college recruiting process and was part of the reason I was able to play for Clarion University.
“His dedication and belief in me have made a real difference, and I’m truly grateful for everything you’ve done.
“I couldn’t have achieved this without his help and support.”
Steve’s hooking up with the Rising Stars is interesting.
He went to Whitman Hanson High school in Whitman Massachusetts and spent his summers in Clarion, with his sister who was a student at Clarion University. While in Clarion, he played for Rising Stars.
Steve graduated high school in 2020, played for Clarion University and graduated from Clarion in 2024 with his bachelors. He then played for and graduated from PennWest Edinboro in 2025 with his masters.
Jeremy Schmader, North Clarion and CUP Graduate,
“Now I have been reffing since end of my college career 2014.
“I mostly ref D10 but anytime I come to D9 to officiate, I know what kids played AAU for Rising Stars.
“It speaks for itself on the court.
“Also, Joe and Rodgers do a fantastic job supporting the kids in their program as they are alway at the game watching the stars play basketball.”
Some of Jeremy’s Background: He tried to walk on at CUP for golf, in 2011, but didn’t make the team. So he decided to try out for basketball and made the team, playing in forty-six games.
During his senior season he decided to walk away from basketball as a player. He stayed in the game as an official, which he really enjoys. He does about 60-70 games a year, including varsity and junior varsity.
He is a Regional Controller for IA Construction. He works out of the Franklin office and oversees finances for the entire region.
(Thank you to Nate Steis for the Jeremy’s background information, which is taken from an article that he originally ran in Explore Clarion)
Christian Cyphert, North Clarion High School And Slippery Rock University Graduate
“I can’t say enough great things about what Coach Rodgers, Coach Deas, and the rest of the Rising Stars coaches have done. I started playing AAU basketball for these guys in 2006 when the Rising Stars organization was created. These coaches and those teams taught me way more than just basketball – I learned about teamwork, dedication, work ethic, and commitment to name a few. I attribute a lot of my personal and professional success to Rogers Laugand and the rest of the Rising Stars crew.”
“I played hoops for Rising Stars through my senior year of high school. I graduated from North Clarion and went on to get my Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Slippery Rock University. Now, I work full-time as a PT and own a golf simulator business.
“The Rising Stars organization was a blessing to me, and I can’t thank those coaches enough. Happy 20 years!”
Dr. Cyphert is a 2015 North Clarion High School Graduate. He earned a Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science from Slippery Rock University in 2019 and earned his Doctorate from SRU in Physical Therapy in 2022.
He practices at Clarion Rehab Services and owns Fore Factory, a golf simulator business, in the 800 Center in Clarion.
Redbank Valley High School and Waynesburg University Graduates, Sam Heeter (Left) and Jake Dougherty, both successful local high school basketball coaches with Coach Laugand. Coach Heeter Coach Heeter teaches High School History at Clarion Area and Jake is the owner and Title Agent of Falcon Settlement Inc. in Fairmount City.
Coach Sam Heeter
“My time with Rising Stars was valuable in helping me hone my skills and talents as a basketball player. In addition, it further instilled and reinforced values of hard work and dedication.
“It gave me an opportunity to make friends from around the area and continue to build my ability my to work within a team. Coach Rogers provided insight into basketball that aided me in reaching the next level and afforded me the opportunity to continue playing the game that I love.
“Today, as a coach of many players in the Rising Stars program, I am grateful that the opportunity still exists for student-athletes to have the chance to see a wider variety of competition and continue their own development.”
Coach Jake Dougherty
“I would like to congratulate the Rising Stars AAU Basketball Program on its 20th anniversary.
“Coach Rogers and the rest of the Rising Stars staff have been an instrumental part of developing players throughout District 9 and have played a major role in helping District 9 remain competitive with other districts across Western Pennsylvania.
“I had the privilege of playing with Rising Stars from 2009–2014 during my high school years, and some of my fondest memories came from spending weekends traveling and competing with my teammates. Those experiences helped shape me not only as a basketball player, but as a person.
“I went on to become the all-time leading scorer at Redbank Valley High School, and today I am proud to serve as the Head Varsity Basketball Coach there. Many of the lessons, concepts, and values I learned through Rising Stars are things I now pass along to the players I coach every day.
“Outside of basketball, I am now the Owner and Title Agent at Falcon Settlement Inc., and my wife and I are blessed with three beautiful children. The success I have experienced after high school and college can be credited in large part to the coaching staff at Rising Stars and the work ethic, discipline, and character they instilled in me.
“I am forever grateful for Coach Rogers and the entire Rising Stars program. They have changed countless lives and positively impacted so many players throughout the KSAC and District 9 communities.”
The Clarion Rising Stars quided close to four hundred boys and girls, through their first twenty years.
What are Coach Deas’ and Coach Laugand’s hopes for the next twenty years?
“Well, we just, we just started, a Boys and Girls Academy for pretty much 5th through 8th grade to sustain the teams. We do have a like 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, any high school team, so we know those are going to be moving on.
“So we wanted to continue to do things like that, work with younger groups. We may consider doing something for younger groups to kind of continue to build. So now you’re talking, 3rd 4th graders to help sustain the program.
“So that’s, that’s the blueprint we’re kind of using, to sustain us for years to come.”
Coach Legand is fifty-nine and Coach Deas is sixty-one, and both realize that as you get older you just can’t keep up at the same pace you did when you were younger. They realize that you will have to turn much over to the next generation.
As to who could possibly take over, Coach Laugand shared, “Well, I think it might depend on who’s here. You know, as far as family wise, I don’t know right now my kids are out.
“But Coach D’s son, Deion, is in the program and he’s got kids.
“So it might be somebody who is maybe in our program, who has kids who wants to sustain it, and maybe as we get older, we’ll take a different role. Then they take over the coaching and stuff and we’ll maybe do more like the administrative part of it to kind of help them.
“That would be the plan down the line. If and whenever we decide it’s okay to back off.”
Coach Laugand was able to fund the initial start-up from his basketball camps, speaking engagements, and a minimal fee paid by each family. Coach Laugand and Coach Deas continue to invest in the organization.
Fundraising is a vital part of sustaining the quality of the organization. are always looking for opportunities to help support the program.
Fundraising and personal contributions have helped to provide the following:Team Uniforms, Tournament Fees, Rent for Practice Facilities and Team Camps, Supplies: Basketballs, Agility Training Equipment, Jump Ropes, and other Miscellaneous Equipment.
If you would like to help with contributions or have other questions about the Clarion Rising Stars program, contact Coach Laugand at 814-229-5831 or email: coachrogers.rs@gmail.com, or Coach Deas at 814-538-9496 or coachdeas.rs@gmail.com.
Here’s to continued success to the Clarion Rising Stars for many years to come!!!!
(Thank you to all who contributed to this article!!!!)