Kramer Soderberg--June 26

After school ended, I headed back to Dubuque, Iowa where my family had just moved last year. My dad was the athletics director at Loras College. In Iowa, I was working out and lifting almost every day because I am really trying to improve my game and have the best summer I ever had and also because I had nothing else to do since I didn't really know anyone in Iowa.

I was planning on visiting St. Charles (my hometown) as much as I could, but about two to three weeks into the summer my dad got a call from Lindenwood University, a NAIA school that just so happens to be located in St. Charles. Lindenwood offered my dad the head basketball coaching job there, and the offer was almost impossible to refuse.

So after only about two weeks in Iowa, my dad and I made the trip back to St. Charles and started living with some family friends. The move back is really exciting for me and my family because we had lived in St. Charles for about eight years, which is the longest we have ever lived in one place. I have been able to see all of my high school friends and have seen a lot of familiar faces around town, which has been great.

As soon as I got back to town, I began working out at my high school and lifting in the weight room. Ryan (Faehnle), our strength and conditioning coach, sent home a packet which gave me the weight program that we do. Thus far I have gained about 10 pounds, and I hope to gain about 5 to 10 more.

I have also been playing a lot of 5-on-5 with alumni from my high school and also have been playing with my dad's new team at open gyms. Every day after getting all my work done I usually head over to my best friend's house and hang out by the pool for the rest of the day. My mom, sister and brother just got to St. Charles two weeks ago, so now we are all living in a temporary house until we move into our new home.

Later on this summer I have one vacation planned which has become a yearly trip for my family. At the beginning of July, my dad's entire side of the family meets up north at my grandparents' house and spends a week together. My grandparents live in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Their seven children, their children's husbands and wives, and the 18 grandchildren all come and stay in one house. I am the oldest grandchild, and I love being together with all my family at one time. Although it is mass chaos at the house, there is no place I would rather go for a vacation.

This is a continuation of a series of updates from the Miami University men's basketball players throughout the summer.