Teachers bond over morning hoops

Declan Colleran

Sports Editor

Severalmornings each week, a group of Maine South faculty members gather to play basketball before school. The league, which is led by Coach Gregory Young, meets three to four mornings a week for high-level basketball competition.

Play typically starts at about 5:45 AM with the first game of the day’s seven-game series. Each game is played up to 21 points, and is self-officiated by the players. The teams aim to play for an hour and fifteen minutes before they begin preparing for the workday.

“We play with pace,” Coach Young said. “We play the game the right way because these guys know how to play.”

Throughout the history of “Morning Hoops,” there have been some changes to the format of play.

“I want to say we have been doing it for 20-25 years,” Coach Young said. “When I first started working here, it was typically a 3-on-3 game.”

As a result of renovations in the P.E. wing, the league has seen some changes to its playing location.

“With the floor needing to be done in the spec gym, it’s been a better game on the floor in the fieldhouse,” Coach Young said.

Nevertheless, the league has had consistent buy-in from teachers such as Mr. Trevor Fritz, Mr. Cheng Jin,

Coach Colin Wehman, and certain alumni invitees.

“[Coach Young] loves it—it’s his thing,” Mr. Fritz said. “He’s so into it. If you played him right now, he would cross you over four times and score with his left hand.”

For the teachers involved, playing morning basketball makes a positive impact on the rest of their days.

“Getting to compete with guys you know and respect is a good day,” Coach Young said.

Additionally, the league gives teachers an outlet to build friendships that they otherwise may not have developed.

“When I came in, there was a 20+ year age gap between Mr. Young and I, but he was one of the first teachers that I built a strong bond with,” Mr. Fritz said. “It’s the little things that add up to build a school culture.”

“Being a coach’s kid, I was around basketball my whole life,” Mr. Lavorato said.

After high school, he went on to play Divison 3 basketball at Augustana College, where he was a 4-year letterman. As a sophomore, Mr. Lavorato led his team to a secondplace finish nationally.

His coaching career began in 1995 at Rochelle High School, where he coached sophomores and assisted the varsity team.

Soon after, Mr. Lavorato took his first head coaching position at Homestead High School, but he eventually moved to Maine South.

“Coaching was something I had a passion for, something I studied, very similar to how I do my teaching,” Mr. Lavorato said. “It isn’t a hobby where you just organize things, but what I really pride myself on doing is having a passion and trying to get better.”

Mr. Lavorato, who retired from coaching last winter, is pleased with the impact he made.

“At the end of a long career, I am very proud of how we went about our business on and off the floor,” Mr. Lavorato said.

Throughout his time at Maine South, Mr. Lavorato coached the Hawks to four Conference championships, five Regional championships, and one Sectional championship. With 354 wins, he is the winningest basketball coach in Maine South history.

“It’s an honor of a lifetime to be inducted, to be perfectly honest,” Mr. Lavorato said. “I may be receiving this honor, but I share it with my past assistant coaches and players in my program.”