Coach: Sports Centre of the North Shore in Northbrook a true hidden gem

Sometimes the best things in life are hard to find, maybe even hard to get to.

Case in point, the Sports Centre of the North Shore - a top-notch sports facility somewhat inconveniently located off Waukegan Road near the I-294 entrance right before the Northbrook-Deerfield border.

It's a little tricky to find. First you have to know where to turn off, then you have to find the gravel road that leads to the pot of gold. It takes you on a slight winding turn and then, just when you think you are lost, lo and behold - there it is. Tucked away in an unassuming small industrial area is your waiting sports haven.

If you like sports - especially basketball - Sports Centre of The North Shore is the place for you. The campus has two basketball courts housed in separate buildings; a third building includes turf sports for soccer, lacrosse, flag football and other indoor games and activities.

Make no mistake though, at this location basketball is king. Games, clinics, training and programs go on from early morning until late at night - and sometimes even the wee hours of the morning.

"We have some groups that will come in at 10 at night or even later," says owner, operator and one-man show Eric Kjome. "One group even rented it at 2 a.m. I put in a system that allows me to open and close the place for groups coming in, even without me actually being there. I just let the groups in, and then it is up to them to take care of the facility and leave it in good condition when they leave. I ask them to treat the facility like it is their home gym."

And if they don't? "Then we very nicely don't invite them back," Kjome said.

Kjome bought the facility eight years ago while suffering from a bad case of "restless work syndrome."

"I was in corporate sales, traveling a lot, and dreamed of running my own business," Kjome says. "I always loved coaching and training kids in basketball. I saw this business for sale and thought I would give it a shot."

No surprise the basketball part of the business appealed to Kjome. The Minnesota native was a high school star and then good enough to play Division 1 basketball, first at the Air Force Academy and then at Maryland, where he competed in the ACC under Hall of Fame coach Gary Williams.

When he first opened, Kjome was doing a lot of the coaching and personal training himself. But after a few years he found more than enough groups, clubs, teams, and personal trainers looking for space to keep the courts busy, so his own hands-on contact with kids has diminished.

The high demand for hoops is not surprising. One thing this writer has learned over the years is that if there is a gym space available - specifically a basketball court - no matter how hidden away or hard to get to, people will find you. They will find you, they will hunt you down, and then they will ask you how much and when can we start?

And that is exactly what has happened for Kjome. Full Package Athletics found him, so did Man Up Basketball, ditto for Northbrook Feeder, and double dittos for groups such as Balaban Basketball, Pegasus FC and All In Lacrosse. That is just a sampling.

"I was amazed at the number of groups that were interested once they found out we were open," Kjome said. "Schools were calling too when they were short of practice space for their teams. In fact, during COVID when schools would not allow practices, a lot of groups came over here to stay in shape and work on their game."

It should be noted basketball is not the only show on campus. The turf field Kjome manages on location (not owned) includes groups coming in for lacrosse, baseball, softball, soccer, birthday parties, special events and more.

This place is a sports mecca just waiting to be found. The "found" part, of course, can sometimes be part of the challenge. But once you do, it is well worth the trip!

For more information, visit sportscentrenorthshore.org.

• Jon Cohn of Glenview is a coach, retired PE teacher, sports official and prep sports fan. To contact him with comments or story ideas, email jcsportsandtees@aol.com.