Minnesota Dunk Squad | Dylan Haugen

About the Squad

The Minnesota Dunk Squad started in July 2023. I founded it after coming home from Dunk Camp 2023, where I saw what a real dunk community could do for performance, confidence, and joy. I wanted to create that same environment in Minnesota — a group of people who genuinely love dunking and are willing to push each other to get better.

The original squad included:

Dylan Haugen (founder)
Jason Robinson
Gideon Sheeler
Jason Zhao
Justin Blanchard

At first, it was simple: we’d meet at the U of M, dunk for a couple of hours, and go home. But the energy, the progress, and the friendships turned that small group into something much bigger — a statewide community, out-of-state visitors, official events, and eventually pro-level opportunities.

How It Started

Dunk Camp 2023 was the turning point. Other dunk squads were forming, and I realized how much better I jumped and how much more fun I had when I was surrounded by other dunkers.

Solo sessions are useful, and you can get a lot done on your own. But most people — myself included — thrive in group environments. When you’re surrounded by people who care about the same thing, you get constant positive reinforcement, more intent behind every jump, and more joy in the process.

When I came back home, I decided Minnesota needed its own dunk squad: a group of dedicated dunkers who would commit to improving together and building something special.

2023: Early Sessions and Breakthroughs

Early 2023 Sessions at the U of M

[Video Placeholder: Early 2023 U of M Sessions]

In 2023, the Minnesota Dunk Squad was small and the sessions were inconsistent — maybe once or twice a month. We’d get together at the U of M and a few other gyms, dunk for a couple hours, and gradually build chemistry.

Even in those early days, some big moments happened:

Out-of-state visitors started pulling up because they saw what we were building.
Hunter Castona drove over five hours from near the other side of Wisconsin just to dunk with us. That day, he hit some of the best dunks of his life, including his first under both, which was huge for him and hype for the squad.
Across various courts around the state, Gideon became the shortest person (5’9″) to ever hit the hide-and-seek dunk on a legit 10-foot rim. We absolutely lost it for him — that moment captured exactly what the squad is about.

These early sessions proved that even with inconsistent gym access, the right environment could produce real breakthroughs.

2024: Growth, Consistency, and New Members

2024 Minnesota Dunk Squad Sessions

[Video Placeholder: 2024 Regular Sessions]

Heading into 2024, I made a major decision: I quit basketball to go all-in on dunking. That freed up time to:

Plan sessions more often
Coordinate with more gyms
Put my own money into renting courts so we could actually build something consistent

With that consistency, the squad grew a lot:

We held sessions with high-level Minnesota dunkers like Will Swigum, one of the best dunkers in the state.
Hunter came back out for more sessions and continued to perform at a high level.
Justin Blanchard hit his first East Bay.
Gideon hit his first 360 Sweep, along with many other dunks.
Jason Robinson — in his mid-50s — kept dunking the entire time, staying ahead of his age and inspiring everyone.

As more people joined, they kept coming back because of the environment. Once someone attends one session and feels that energy, they almost always want to return.

Outside of in-person meetups, the group chats became just as important. We share:

Vertical jump training updates
Lifting progress
Dunk clips for feedback
Technique breakdowns

A lot of progress happens at sessions, especially with my experience as a pro dunker and coach — helping people hit their first dunk or first advanced tricks. But a ton of progress also happens between sessions through video feedback and support.

June 2024: First Official Dunk Contest

June 2024 Dunk Contest with the Twenty3 League (Outdoor)

[Video Placeholder: June 2024 Outdoor Contest]

In June 2024, two of us — Gideon and I — competed in our first dunk contest together. We worked with Jordan Horn, a standout Minnesota hooper and founder of the Twenty3 League.

The contest was held outdoors with a crowd of a bit over 100 people. We went all out:

I hit a honey dip (elbow dunk) and an East Bay.
Gideon hit behind the back, a 360 East Bay, and finished with under both.

Gideon took home first place, and the event gave us valuable experience that set the stage for future contests.

Late 2024: New Dunks, Events, and Low-Rim Work

First Hide-and-Seek and Technique Sessions

[Video Placeholder: Hide-and-Seek and Low-Rim Session]

Later in 2024, the sessions reached another level:

I landed my first hide-and-seek dunk and became the youngest person to hit it.
We started doing structured low-rim work on 8–9 foot rims to sharpen hand speed, body control, and trick variations. Low-rim sessions help people build the technique needed for big dunks on 10 feet.

At one of these sessions, I hit a brand new dunk that had never been done before — an inverted scorpion over someone, an upside-down style dunk over a person. It’s the kind of dunk you might never see anywhere else, and it happened in a Minnesota Dunk Squad session.

At the same time, we had people getting their first dunks ever during these sessions. That’s one of the best parts: on one end, we have world-first dunks; on the other, someone is getting their first clean rim hang or first basic dunk — and both get the same level of celebration.

We also added more strong members around this time:

Rich and Julian Christensen, both very good dunkers.
Christian Bickel, who drove multiple hours to join us, hit his first windmill and had his best session ever at that point.
Christian Ferguson, who became a regular, hit his first behind the back, one of his dream dunks, with the whole squad going crazy for him.

Along with the dunking, I’ve helped a lot of these guys with social media — filming, editing, documenting progress, and building their presence. It’s not required, but it’s another resource people get by being part of the squad.

TVP Academy Grand Opening

TVP Academy Dunk Show

[Video Placeholder: TVP Academy Grand Opening Show]

We were invited to perform at the grand opening of TVP Academy, a basketball skills training facility in Minnesota. I ran a dunk show there:

Jumping and dunking over the founder
Bringing contest-level energy to a training gym environment
Giving everyone in the building a look at what real dunking culture feels like

It was another step in the squad becoming known as the group you call when you want high-level dunk entertainment in Minnesota.

Nickle Dickle – First Win

Nickle Dickel High School Dunk Contest (Year 1)

[Video Placeholder: Nickle Dickle – First Win]

In September of 2024, I was invited to compete in a yearly high school dunk contest called Nickle Dickle. Representing the Minnesota Dunk Squad, I:

Hit a reverse dunk over three people
Took home the win

This became my first official contest victory and another milestone for the squad’s reputation.

Vertical Testing and Jalen’s Record

Vertical Testing Session with Jalen

[Video Placeholder: Vertical Testing Session – 45.5″ Vert]

Another huge addition was access to a vert trainer — a tool that lets us properly measure:

Height
Standing reach
Max touch
True vertical jump

Very few people get to test their vertical accurately in their lifetime. We bring this tool to sessions and let members see real numbers.

During one of those sessions:

Jalen Miller tested at a 45.5-inch vertical, which is currently the Minnesota Dunk Squad record.
He also threw down some insane dunks that day.

Around this time, I also hit my first under both, a massive personal milestone and another reflection of what the squad environment helps people accomplish.

Underground Hoops Dunk Contest

[Video Placeholder: Underground Hoops Contest]

In February 2025, a gym called Underground Hoops invited us to run a dunk contest at their facility. The lineup:

Dylan
Gideon
Jalen

We all went off, hit powerful dunks, and played off the crowd’s energy. I ended up winning the contest, but the bigger win was the shared experience and the additional event reps for everyone involved.

2025: Taking It National and High-Profile Shows

Maryland Pro Dunk Contest (Flyout)

[Video Placeholder: Maryland Contest]

By March 2025, I was invited and flown out to a dunk contest in Maryland. That opportunity was built on:

The experience from Minnesota-based contests
The network built through events we’d organized and appeared in
The reputation of the Minnesota Dunk Squad as a serious dunk crew

For anyone who dreams of going pro, this is proof of what’s possible when you combine skill, consistency, and a strong crew backing you.

Daniel Freitag Camp Halftime Dunk Show

[Video Placeholder: Daniel Freitag Camp Dunk Show]

In August 2025, Jalen Miller and I were asked to perform a dunk show at halftime of the Daniel Freitag Camp All-Star Game.

Highlights:

Jalen jumped over someone who was around 6’8″.
I jumped over someone and finished with an elbow dunk.

The crowd was fully locked in, and we gained coverage from Strictly B-Ball, a major Minnesota basketball media outlet. That exposure lifted not only our individual brands but the Minnesota Dunk Squad as a whole.

H4 Sports Academy: Our New Home Base

H4 Sports Academy Sessions

[Video Placeholder: H4 Sports Academy – Regular Sessions]

Finding gyms has always been one of the hardest parts of building this squad. I’ve spent a lot of time and money trying to solve that problem.

Recently, we connected with H4 Sports Academy in Edina, Minnesota — a basketball and sports performance facility that, in my opinion, is the best gym in the state. I’m genuinely grateful for what we have there now.

At H4, we’ve hosted some of our biggest and best sessions:

Colton Lindquist came through and showed why he’s probably the highest jumper in Minnesota. The dunks he hit were insane.
Isaac Onanewu, who went to my high school and was an excellent high jumper in track, re-ignited his athletic potential. After not doing much structured jumping post-high school, he started training and dunking with us consistently, hitting his first East Bay and other rare one-foot dunks. He now has something to work toward again, which is huge for anyone at any stage of life.

These sessions highlight one of the most important parts of the squad: giving people purpose and a challenge to chase with their bodies and minds.

Pro Dunker Super-Session at H4

[Video Placeholder: Pro Dunker Visit Session at H4]

One of our most memorable H4 sessions featured three professional dunkers who flew in from out of state:

Travis Reynolds (North Carolina)
Ben Hopkins (North Carolina)
Finn Addy (Canada)

We also had high-level Wisconsin dunkers:

Hunter Castona
CJ Pfeil

This session showed how far the Minnesota Dunk Squad has come. People are now flying in because they want to be part of what we’ve built — a high-energy, encouraging, fun environment where everyone loves dunking.

Highlights from that day:

Ben hit a tamala off one foot, which is extremely rare.
Travis hit a windmill elbow along with other wild dunks.
Everyone, local and out-of-state, performed at a high level.

Twenty3 League Dunk Contest

Twenty3 League Live Event Dunk Contest

[Video Placeholder: Twenty3 League Dunk Contest]

One of my favorite events so far was a dunk contest that Jordan Horn asked me to help coordinate for his YouTube basketball league, the Twenty3 League, during August of 2025.

This time, I got to hand-pick a squad of Minnesota Dunk Squad members to represent us:

Dylan
Gideon
Christian
Justin
Jalen

Every single dunker in the contest was from the Minnesota Dunk Squad.

Big moments:

Christian and Justin hit strong dunks of their own.
Gideon hit an East Bay and a behind the back.
Jalen jumped over someone who was almost seven feet tall.
I closed the contest with a dunk that had never been done in a contest before: an inverted scorpion over someone, followed by a double-up elbow to secure the win.

We all wore our Minnesota Dunk Squad shirts and represented the crew at a very high level.

Nickle Dickle – Back-to-Back Champion

Nickle Dickle High School Dunk Contest (Year 2)

[Video Placeholder: Nickle Dickle – Back-to-Back Win]

After the 23 League event, I returned to Nickle Dickle in September of 2025 and won it again, going back-to-back.

My final dunk was:

A reverse dunk over my brother standing on a chair, which was absolutely wild and a perfect way to close the event.

What the Minnesota Dunk Squad Stands For

The dunks, contests, and shows are important, but they’re built on something deeper: community and excellence.

We have:

Young dunkers who are just getting started
Older athletes like Jason Robinson, still dunking in his 50s
Short jumpers like Gideon at 5’9″
Taller guys
Pro-level dunkers like myself
People who are getting their first ever dunk

Whether you want to be a professional dunker or just want a fun, challenging way to stay active, you’ll get support here.

We also help with things beyond just jumping:

Programming and feedback for vertical jump training
Dunk technique and progression planning
Social media help — filming, editing, documenting your journey
Accountability through group chats and shared progress

Join the Minnesota Dunk Squad

We typically run sessions on Saturdays, but if Saturdays don’t work and you’re serious about coming out, we can sometimes organize meetups on other days as well.

If you want to:

Hit your first dunk
Learn advanced trick dunks
Chase a pro dunking path
Or just join a supportive group that loves jumping and getting better

Reach out and we’ll get you plugged in.

Instagram

@MinnesotaDunkSquad
@DylanHaugen23

Email

minnesotadunksquad@gmail.com

From there, we’ll connect you with the squad, add you to the right chats, and help you get to a session.

Book the Minnesota Dunk Squad for Events

We’ve done:

Outdoor dunk contests
Gym openings
High school events
Camps
League halftimes
Pro-level contests
Live shows and appearances

If you’re an event organizer looking to add a dunk show or contest — whether it’s:

A high school pep rally
A basketball tournament or league
A gym opening
A live event or commercial shoot

We’d love to talk.

Email minnesotadunksquad@gmail.com with details about your event. We’ll:

Figure out which dunkers should come
Discuss pricing
Tailor the show to your audience

We have a crew of great dunkers and strong showmen who love performing and know how to get a crowd engaged.