Camaraderie of coaching lures former Lake Park leader back in
Dan Batka resigned as head varsity coach of Lake Park's boys basketball team after the 2007-08 season. Taking the Lancers to five regional titles in 10 seasons, his resignation wasn't forced by a struggling program. He basically wanted more time with his family.
That coaching bug is tough to shake. This fall Batka accepted Gordie Kerkman's offer to become a varsity assistant at West Aurora, after Brian Johnson left Kerkman's staff to take the head varsity job at Kaneland.
"It was not a bad time to put my toe back in, and I think my wife (Kari) and son (Brock) were ecstatic about it, because it would get me out of the house a little more," Batka joked.
Batka, who stands 6 feet, 7 inches, will coach West Aurora's big men and sub in the Blackhawks' frontcourt players. Kerkman's other varsity assistant, Paul Keefer, gets perimeter coaching responsibilities while the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Famer oversees the entire production.
"I've known Dan for some time," Kerkman said. "We used to coach against one another."
True, Lake Park and West Aurora played nonconference games. The two coaches have also worked with each other over the years at Hoop Mountain camps. They joined forces last summer coaching a North American Youth Sports travel team, and that really rekindled Batka's fire.
What made it come together was Kerkman generously allowing Batka the freedom of occasional time away to watch Brock play ball. He's on the sophomore team at Batavia.
"Gordie was good to me in that regard," said Batka, who coached at Conant and Proviso West before going to Lake Park. He remains a teacher at Lake Park as well as its boys golf coach.
Last summer Batka competed in three sprint triathlons and went on a 583-mile round-trip bicycle ride to Iowa.
Enough was enough. Time again to whip somebody else into shape.
"I'm in a supportive role, though speaking with Gordie I'm going to have a bigger role than I thought I would have. It's a good thing, and I'm looking forward to being in another role at this point in time," Batka said.
"Two years, I think my son and my wife had a little bit too much of me. It was time for another change."
Road Warriors
Last season Wheaton Academy's boys basketball team went to California over its "Winterim" break. This year Warriors coach/athletic director Paul Ferguson set up a dream schedule to North Carolina.
Flying into Raleigh on Jan. 2, the boys will practice at the University of North Carolina that night.
"That's pretty exciting," Ferguson said. It just gets better.
On Jan. 3 the team will watch the North Carolina State-Florida game at 3 p.m., then the Duke-Clemson game at 7:30 p.m.
The next day Wheaton Academy will practice at Davidson College and stick around to see Davidson-Samford in person.
Contacts with coaches who recruited Wheaton Academy seniors Tim Rusthoven and Luke Johnson - recruited by Davidson and North Carolina State, respectively - helped Ferguson land these sites.
Wheaton Academy will put its practice to the test on Jan. 5. The Warriors will play at Charlotte Christian High School, where former Wheaton Academy athletic director Tom Jamerson holds that same position. Bobby Jones, defensive whiz of the 1983 NBA champion Philadelphia 76ers, helped start Charlotte Christian's basketball program and was its longtime head coach.
"Ever since I got into coaching I've wanted to play Charlotte Christian, because among Christian high schools they're the most well-known (basketball program)," Ferguson said.
On Jan. 6 the boys will visit the Billy Graham Evangelical Association and Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, and team up on a service project with the Association's missionary arm, Samaritan's Purse.
Then it's back to Illinois...but not for long. Both boys and girls basketball teams head to Indianapolis on Jan. 9 to play Heritage Christian.
By then it'll be time for a break from the vacation.
What's up...
Whitney Holloway
One of four returning starters on Montini's girls basketball team, Holloway averaged about 12 points, 5 assists and 5 steals as a sophomore. A point guard, she was born in St. Louis then moved to Omaha before she, her brother C.J. and parents Carla and Chris Holloway (they work for bus and train companies, respectively) moved to Plainfield seven years ago. Continuing a family basketball tradition starting at age 6, Whitney boards a "Bronco Bus" out of Naperville for a daily regimen of what made Montini her "perfect fit" - academics and basketball.
Q: Third in state as a sophomore, then last year's supersectional loss to Marshall. Can I get you to guarantee a state title this year?
A: I don't think anyone's ever guaranteed a state championship, but I definitely think we have the potential. We're a lot older now, we have a lot of juniors and seniors on the team so we're more experienced, and we have Michala Johnson back from her knee injury, so that's a big part of it. And we have the will to win, and we've got a lot of good players.
Q: You said you play the game, Rock Band?
A: I play the guitar and sing a little bit, but drums is my specialty. I'm on the "medium" (level), and I'm getting to the "hard."
Q: What do you like about basketball?
A: The love of the game. When I play basketball I get this feeling like it's so fun. As a big competitor I like to win, so I'm on the court every day with a killer instinct and I just compete in the highest level. I love to play better competition because it makes me better and it makes the game more fun. And just working hard with my teammates - we have a lot of fun together, too.
Q: What's the last good movie you saw?
A: "Paranormal Activity."
Q: Who's your favorite basketball player?
A: Probably... it's a hard one... Chris Paul.
doberhelman@dailyherald.com