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It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always

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Home Care In Springville, IA

Home Care Springville, IA

They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.

However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic The Granger House Victorian Museum gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.

Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Springville, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.

In-Home Care Springville, IA

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The Always Best Care Difference

Since 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.

Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.

The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.

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“Always Best is OK but doesn’t seem to make up hours very well. When the”

Always Best is OK but doesn’t seem to make up hours very well. When the caregiver is sick, nobody comes. I would think that they need a little more back up than they have right now. They give me a schedule, and billing is paid by Medicaid.
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“I knew a lady who works for Always Best Health Care that's why I chose”

I knew a lady who works for Always Best Health Care that's why I chose it. The caregiver is very good with a very good attitude. They were able to provide the caregiver for myself immediately. She accompanies me to shopping.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Always Best is OK but doesn’t seem to make up hours very well. When the caregiver is sick, nobody comes. I would think that they need a little more back up than they have right now. They give me a schedule, and billing is paid by Medicaid.”

DouglasJJIWF
×
TESTIMONIALS

“I knew a lady who works for Always Best Health Care that's why I chose it. The caregiver is very good with a very good attitude. They were able to provide the caregiver for myself immediately. She accompanies me to shopping.”

Carol64210350

What is Non-Medical Senior Care in Springville, IA?

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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.

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When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.

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The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.

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At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.

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Senior Care Springville, IA

Types of Elderly Care in Springville, IA

To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:

Personal Care

Personal Care Services

If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.

Common personal care services include assistance with:

  • Eating
  • Mobility Issues
  • Incontinence
  • Bathing
  • Dressing
  • Grooming
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Respite Care Springville, IA
Home Helper

Home Helper Services

Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.

Common home helper care services include assistance with:

  • Medication Reminders
  • Meal Preparation
  • Pet Care
  • Prescription Refills
  • Morning Wake-Up
  • Walking
  • Reading
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Caregivers Springville, IA
Companionship Services

Companionship Services

Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Spring Creek Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.

Common companionship services include:

  • Grocery Shopping
  • Transportation to Appointments
  • Nutritional Assistance
  • Conversation
  • Planning Outings
  • Completing Errands
  • Transportation to Community
  • Events and Social Outings
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Home Care Springville, IA
Respite Care

Respite Care Services

According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Sally's On Broadway or visit Daughters Of Utah Pioneer Museum-Historical Society, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.

At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.

If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.

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In-Home Care Springville, IA

Benefits of Home Care in Springville, IA

Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:

Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.

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Aging in Place: The Preferred Choice for Most Seniors

While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.

In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.

Here are just a few of the reasons why older men and women prefer to age at home:

How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?

A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.

With the help of elderly care in Springville, IA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.

Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.

Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.

For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.

More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.

In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.

With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.

Elderly Care Springville, IA

Affordable Care

In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.

Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.

At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.

In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:

If your loved one qualifies, Medicaid may help reduce in-home care costs. Review your IA's Medicaid program laws and benefits, and make sure your senior's financial and medical needs meet Medicaid eligibility requirements.
Attendance and aid benefits through military service can cover a portion of the costs associated with in-home care for veterans and their spouses.
Many senior care services like in-home care are included in long-term care insurance options. Research different long-term care solutions to find a plan that provides coverage for senior care.
Home care can be included as part of a senior's private insurance plan. Read over your loved one's insurance policy carefully or speak with their insurance provider to determine if in-home care is covered.
Depending on the life insurance plan, you may be able to apply your policy toward long-term care. You may be able to use long-term-care coverage to help pay for in-home elderly care.
Senior Care Springville, IA

Compassionate Care. Trusted Caregivers.

When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.

Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.

At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Springville, IA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.

Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.

Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.

Assisted Living Referral Services

While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.

Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.

Respite Care Springville, IA

At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.

Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:

  • Housekeeping
  • Laundry
  • Recreational Activities
  • Social Outings
  • Emergency Medical Response
  • Medication Monitoring
  • Family Visitation
  • Personal Care
Caregivers Springville, IA

At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.

Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.

Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:

  • Canterbury Assisted Living WEST
  • Canterbury Assisted Living EAST
  • Heritage Gardens of Springville, Utah Assisted Living
  • Ashford Assisted Living & Memory Care
  • Assisted living
  • MEDALLION SUPPORTED LIVING-SPRINGVILLE
Home Care Springville, IA

For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.

In-Home Care Springville, IA

Taking the First Step with Always Best Care

The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:

A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way

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A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive

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Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider

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Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.

If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.

At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Springville, IA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.

When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.

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Elderly Care Springville, IA

Latest News in Springville, IA

Springville’s Sanderson builds personal field of dreams

SPRINGVILLE (KWWL) – Nate Sanderson takes wiffle ball a bit more seriously than the average person.“When my wife and I were looking for a place to build in the country outside of Springville, I'm thinking I want a yard to be able to build something like that,” says Sanderson.What he means by "that" is one of the best wiffleball fields in the U.S.A., complete with everything anyone would want. The outfield fence, made of green painted wood, varies in height. A storage shed fits in nicely in centerfiel...

SPRINGVILLE (KWWL) – Nate Sanderson takes wiffle ball a bit more seriously than the average person.

“When my wife and I were looking for a place to build in the country outside of Springville, I'm thinking I want a yard to be able to build something like that,” says Sanderson.

What he means by "that" is one of the best wiffleball fields in the U.S.A., complete with everything anyone would want. The outfield fence, made of green painted wood, varies in height. A storage shed fits in nicely in centerfield, while the wall features a pair of elevated decks down both foul lines.

His own personal field of dreams just keeps getting better every year.

“So, the first summer, what is now the wall we started with just a snowfence just to see how it would play,” says Sanderson, “There's a gazebo behind here that we built on an old farm foundation for the fans, behind the wall out here, is a two-tiered deck, so you can climb up the stairs and watch the games from up there.”

While wiffle ball construction uses up a lot of his time and money many years, he did take one season to feed another obsession.

“I took a summer off to go to the World Series and watch the Cubs win game 7 in Cleveland.” he recalls, “So that spent my wiffle ball budget.”

Sanderson's field has since become a hotbed of activity hosting school groups and charity events throughout the summer. He says those event have raised more than $30,000 in total.

Sometimes, it's just the occassional pick-up game taking place where everyone's looking to hit bombs. even though one-third of the phrase wiffle ball is whiff, and there's a good share of those, too.

The best thing for Sanderson, however, is seeing the variety of those who come out to play.

“It's something that my five year old can come out and swing a bat and run the bases,” he says, “We'll get 60 - 70 year old guys out here on teams playing.”

While expansion plans are still in the works, Sanderson says at some point that's probably going to change.

“My wife tolerates it. She's waiting her turn to start doing some improvements on the house, so that'll come with time, too, I'm sure.”

Springville school to be razed

SPRINGVILLE - Painted above the threshold of the second floor stairway of Schwab Hall was the word 'immortality.”'I had first and second grade in this building, band and (choir) ... I get very nostalgic,” said Karen Taylor, 71, of Springville, while gazing over a room filled with broken desks, rubble and old art tools. 'Oh gosh. Memories, memories.”Schwab Hall opened in 1916 and closed in early 2011. In addition to elementary through high school classes, it hosted basketball games and music practices for the S...

SPRINGVILLE - Painted above the threshold of the second floor stairway of Schwab Hall was the word 'immortality.”

'I had first and second grade in this building, band and (choir) ... I get very nostalgic,” said Karen Taylor, 71, of Springville, while gazing over a room filled with broken desks, rubble and old art tools. 'Oh gosh. Memories, memories.”

Schwab Hall opened in 1916 and closed in early 2011. In addition to elementary through high school classes, it hosted basketball games and music practices for the Springville Community School District.

The building has recently been used for storage and is being razed to make way for a new elementary school. A $4.7 million bond passed in February will pay for the construction.

Taylor, who graduated from Springville High School in 1962, is the historian for the Springville Area Historical Society. On Saturday, the group hosted a 'Goodbye to Our Old School” memorial outside Schwab Hall, which is connected to the northeast end of the high school at 400 Academy St.

Taylor said the event gave those who attended classes in the red brick building the chance to exchange stories.

'In first grade, there was a girl who swiped my pencil. Her grandpa was an insurance agent in town, and of course, he gave out pencils that had his business printed on it ... and I had one, and she comes up to me and said, ‘That pencil's my pencil. It has my grandpa's name on it,' and she took it,” Taylor said, laughing. 'Funny how you remember silly things like that.”

Schwab Hall was named after Roy T. Schwab, a longtime Springville band director who worked at the building for 34 years before retiring in 1964.

'He was the disciplinarian for the whole school. He wasn't harsh or anything,” said Taylor, who played the oboe in his class. 'He just expected the best. Those were good memories - long ago.”

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The demolition is costing the school district $68,000, according to Springville Superintendent Pat Hocking.

The process to build the new elementary school at the site will begin in mid- to late summer. It will included nine classrooms, a multipurpose space, office space and a secure entrance.

Hocking said the construction will 'hopefully” be completed by the fall of 2017.

Springville Wiffle ball field built, and people came

SPRINGVILLE - Surrounded by cornfields and gravel roads, Nate Sanderson's property is perfectly situated for his own personal 'Field of Dreams.”There, behind the house, Sanderson built what is known as The Wiffle Ball Field, which he uses to host fundraising tournaments for a variety of charities.'We want everything that is collected to go somewhere else,” Sanderson said.Sanderson built the field with the help of Springville's basketball team. Sanderson is the girls basketball coach at Springville High School...

SPRINGVILLE - Surrounded by cornfields and gravel roads, Nate Sanderson's property is perfectly situated for his own personal 'Field of Dreams.”

There, behind the house, Sanderson built what is known as The Wiffle Ball Field, which he uses to host fundraising tournaments for a variety of charities.

'We want everything that is collected to go somewhere else,” Sanderson said.

Sanderson built the field with the help of Springville's basketball team. Sanderson is the girls basketball coach at Springville High School.

'This is his kind of dream,” said Megan Wagaman, 17, a member of the basketball team. She added working on the field was an important part of team development.

One inspiration for Sanderson's field was Little Fenway, a one-fourth scale replica of Fenway Park in Vermont. That field also hosts fundraising tournaments.

'It kind of showed that it can be done,” Sanderson said of Little Fenway.

The Wiffle Ball Field is so new that it continues to experiment with fundraising and tournament models. Past tournaments have raised money for organizations such as Springville Area Neighborhood Service and Information (SANSI) and the Coralville Ecumenical Food Pantry.

'We were looking for something unique,” said John Boller, executive director of the Coralville Ecumenical Food Pantry and a longtime friend of Sanderson's, about why the organization chose to have a fundraiser out there. 'I think it went very well.”

Sanderson said he has focused on helping charities that already have a connection to his family.

'It's a game that like anyone can play,” Sanderson said of Wiffle ball, adding he believes there are not a lot of games that can attract players of all ages.

The field's bases are 42 feet apart, and the game is played with each team pitching to its own players.

'Depending on the direction of the wind, the game plays very different,” Sanderson said.

The Sandersons have absorbed the operational costs of the field, Sanderson said.

'It's a port-o-potty and some fertilizer,” Sanderson said, downplaying some of the other aspects - such as a bell for home runs - that have been incorporated. 'There really isn't a lot of upkeep right now.”

Upcoming events include the Wiffle Palooza competition on Labor Day Weekend to benefit SANSI. There also will be a concert on the field.

Organizations interested in using The Wiffle Ball Field can contact Sanderson through its Facebook page.

Photos: Springville vs. North Tama in Iowa high school state volleyball tournament

Photos from the Springville Orioles sweeping the North Tama Redhawks in the Iowa high school state volleyball Class 1A semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021.Springville players get emotional after defeating North Tama and advancing to the championships during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)Springville’s Grace Matus (48) bumps t...

Photos from the Springville Orioles sweeping the North Tama Redhawks in the Iowa high school state volleyball Class 1A semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021.

Springville players get emotional after defeating North Tama and advancing to the championships during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Springville’s Grace Matus (48) bumps the hit from North Tama during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

The Springville sidelines celebrate after getting a point over North Tama during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Springville’s Lauren Wilson (28) hits the ball back over to the North Tama side during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Springville’s Lauren Wilson (28) jumps up to block the hit from North Tama’s Shea Ewoldt (6) during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Springville’s Molly Stamp (17) hits the ball back over to the North Tama side during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

North Tama’s Jadyn Rausch (2) rushes to bump the ball back over to the Springville side during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

North Tama’s Shae Ewoldt (6) hits the ball back over to the Springville side of the net during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

North Tama’s Breanna Sebetka (3) and Aubree Monat (7) jump up to block the hit from Springville’s Savannah Nealman (4) during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Springville’s Nia Howard (7) sets the ball up for her teammate during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

North Tama’s Breanna Sebetka (3) and Jadyn Rausch (2) put their hands up to try and block the hit from Springville’s Lauren Wilson (28) during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

North Tama’s Aubree Monat (7) rushes to bump the ball during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Springville Head Coach Claude Howard becomes emotional after his team won against North Tama during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

A North Tama becomes emotional after losing to Springville during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

North Tama’s Aubree Monat (7) and Izzy Hallett (5) comfort each other after losing to the Springville Orioles during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Springville players get emotional after defeating North Tama and advancing to the championships during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Springville players celebrate after defeating North Tama and advancing to the championship round during the Iowa High School Class 1A State Volleyball Championship semifinals at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Time Machine: From a Springville farm to the NBA

Editor's note: This is a continuing series of Eastern Iowa sports history 'Time Machine' articles. Mark Dukes worked at The Gazette from 1973 to 1998, the last 14 years as sports editor.For every 10,000 high school basketball players, it has been estimated only three will make it to the National Basketball Association.If you're from Springville, Iowa, the odds are considerably longer.But Al Eberhard did just that. Among the 21 Iowa high school players who have reached the NBA, only Loren Meyer came from a high s...

Editor's note: This is a continuing series of Eastern Iowa sports history 'Time Machine' articles. Mark Dukes worked at The Gazette from 1973 to 1998, the last 14 years as sports editor.

For every 10,000 high school basketball players, it has been estimated only three will make it to the National Basketball Association.

If you're from Springville, Iowa, the odds are considerably longer.

But Al Eberhard did just that. Among the 21 Iowa high school players who have reached the NBA, only Loren Meyer came from a high school with a smaller enrollment than Eberhard's Springville. Meyer hailed from Ruthven, starred at Iowa State and played three years in the NBA.

Eberhard graduated from Springville in 1970, selected as a third-team all-stater his senior season. He had considered attending a small college but his high school coach had a connection with Missouri Coach Norm Stewart.

'My high school coach, Larry Dusanek, played for Coach Stewart when Stewart was coaching at Cedar Falls, Iowa (Northern Iowa). I wasn't recruited by a lot of large colleges,' Eberhard said in a Missouri Sports Hall of Fame story last November when he was inducted. 'Coach Dusanek told me, 'Coach Stewart is an excellent coach; you'll learn a lot about basketball and he will give you a chance.''

It paid big dividends for Eberhard and Missouri. After a year of acclimation to a big-time college campus (freshmen were not eligible then), the slightly-undersized 6-foot-6 Eberhard became a Tiger star and eventually a member of the school's All-Century team.

Eberhard needed that freshman year to become adjusted in Columbia. His graduating class at Springville numbered 41 students.

'I remember the first day I walked on campus with 22,000 students and I wasn't sure what I was doing,' Eberhard told the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. 'I wondered if I made the right decision. That's why it was so important growing up on the farm. My family's mental toughness and work ethic taught me valuable lessons.

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'I did a lot of growing up that first year away from home. I learned a lot about life. Our freshman year was good for all of us.'

Eberhard still is one of only four Missouri players to average a double-double for his college career, 16.8 points and 10.1 rebounds. He led the Tigers to their first back-to-back 20-win seasons in school history in 1972 and '73. One of Eberhard's teammates in 1973 and '74 was Ron Pexa, a star in his own right at Cedar Rapids Washington.

For what he may have lacked in height for a small forward, Eberhard compensated with his strength and work ethic. He twice was named most valuable player at the Big Eight Holiday Tournament, scoring 33 in a game against Kansas State. He was first-team all-Big Eight as a senior, averaging 19.7 points and 12 rebounds.

Eberhard's hard work and production resulted in him becoming a first-round NBA draft pick, the 15th overall selection of the Detroit Pistons. That was the same draft in which Bill Walton was selected No. 1 overall, and such players as Marvin Barnes, Bobby Jones, Campy Russell and Maurice Lucas were picked. George Gervin was a third-round pick that year. Tom Holland, a Cedar Rapids Jefferson and Oklahoma product, went in the eighth round. Jim Bushkovsky became the only Upper Iowa University player ever selected by the NBA when he went to Cleveland in the ninth round.

The best of Eberhard's four-year NBA career was his second season in 1975-76 when he averaged 9.3 points per game. He went for 30 points twice that season, against Houston and Seattle. The Houston team included former Iowa stars John Johnson and Kevin Kunnert. Former Hawkeye great Fred Brown had 20 points for Seattle in the other game.

Eberhard finished his pro career with 1,490 points, 760 rebounds and a 79.7 free-throw percentage in 220 games.

Eberhard, 63, has had a long relationship with Missouri. He is on the board of the university's Thompson Center Foundation for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. He previously was executive director for the Governor's Council for Fitness and Health in Missouri.

Eberhard's parents, Marvin and Hazel, farmed in the Springville area for 50 years. His dad put up backboards and hoops on the inside and outside of the barn so Al could shoot year-round. The Eberhard basketball lineage perhaps began with Marvin, a star basketball player in the Nebraska high school ranks.

Al's sister, Lorrie, was selected to the Coe College Hall of Fame after a standout basketball and softball career. Lorrie's husband, Steve Zeller, was a three-sport athlete at Springville and later briefly walked on to the Iowa State football team. They produced three terrific college basketball players in Luke (Notre Dame), Tyler (North Carolina) and Cody (Indiana). Tyler and Cody are in the NBA with Boston and Charlotte, respectively. Luke played one season with Phoenix.

Eberhard always has credited his small-town upbringing for preparing him as he advanced through his basketball career.

'I wondered if I made the right decision (going to Missouri),' he said. 'That's why it was so important growing up on the farm. My family's mental toughness and work ethic taught me valuable lessons.'

And took him far — from Springville to the NBA.

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