The Veenstra triplets — Jon, left, Sam and Jake — are members of Eastern Christian’s basketball team and part of a family with deep ties to the school.
A classmate he has known for years mistook Sam Veenstra for Jake Veenstra in the hallway Tuesday at Eastern Christian High School.
It’s a common occurrence for Sam and Jake, who look identical. The third Veenstra triplet, Jon, only slightly resembles Sam and Jake, and thus has been spared such mix-ups.
“I always get called Jake,” Sam said before Tuesday’s practice. “I just respond to both names. It’s not worth correcting them.”
There’s no mistaking the impact the Veenstra triplets have had on Eastern Christian’s boys basketball season.
Jon, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard, is the leading scorer for the Eagles at 14.8 points per game. Sam is the 12-12 team’s top defender, as he is capable of locking down players at multiple positions. And Jake has been an energetic contributor off Eastern Christian’s bench. Sam and Jake are 6-1 forwards.
“All three of the triplets, from the day I got hired, they all wanted to do all of the extra stuff that we did,” Eastern Christian coach Bill Schoener said. “From weightlifting, to the crazy summer schedule I put together, to the fall league. … They really took on those leadership roles. Especially Jon — he has really taken on the role of our leader. He leads by example. And his hard work has paid off.”
