The Silver Streak girls tradition
By John Ring
In the last 15 years, thereÕs been a lot of changes in
high school athletics and with the IHSA.
Small
schools have consolidated. Identities have been lost. Schools have changed
nicknames--- all politically correct, of course. There are no more ROWVA Tigers
in football or Union Yankees or
Southern Rebels in any sport.
Conferences
have merged or been phased out or renamed. We now have ŌSuper ConferencesĶ
There used to be a Mid-State 9, then a Mid-State-6 and now a Mid-State-5.
In
high school basketball, winning 25 games during the regular season gets you a
60 mile road trip for the Regionals instead of a homecourt advantage, something
that used to be earned but is now doled out like a political job.
Through
all of it, over the last 15 years, has been one constant--- Silver Streak girls
basketball.
The
20-win seasons, the 30-win seasons, all of the Regional and Sectional Titles,
the Top 10 rankings, the trips to State have all been chronicled. ItÕs all been
documented. When it started, Galesburg High School had the lowest enrollment of
the five public schools in the Western Big 6. That hasnÕt changed either.
The
current run of excellence exceeded anything John Thiel ever did. That in
itself, is quite a statement.
A
lot of people are wondering how this basketball program has sustained this sort
of success for that long of a time. And while IÕm no expert on these matters,
IÕve got a few opinions on the subject, one of which IÕve been close to since
1993.
ŌWeÕre
not ladies. WeÕre not the ÔLadyÕ Silver Streaks. WeÕre just Silver Streaks.Ķ
ThatÕs
what Sara Wood said to me in 1995. I wondered then and still wonder today why
some girls basketball teams, both in high school and college, like to be
referred to that way. In 1987, the University of Cincinnati womens basketball
coach fought long and hard to have that moniker taken off their uniforms.
There
was nothing feminine about a Megan Pacheco pick. It was brutal and often the
sound echoed throughout Thiel Gym. ThereÕs nothing Ōlady-likeĶ or
Ōgentleman-likeĶ about diving on the court for a loose ball or fighting your
way through a screen or blocking out to rebound.
The
Silver Streaks were not ladies; they were basketball players. From Watson to
Gunther to Ricketts, they meant business. They took the game seriously. Coach
Evan MasseyÕs system was ingrained upon them shortly after they gave up
watching Barney & Friends.
At
a Knoxville girls basketball game two years ago, a friend of mine looked out on
the court and something didnÕt look right. He couldnÕt figure it out until the
second quarter. The players were wearing make-up. They also played a dull,
boring halfcourt game that no one (guy or girl) likes to play.
These
Streaks were Born to Run, as the
song goes. ItÕs a fun game to watch and play. Teams either couldnÕt wait to
knock off Galesburg or simply dreaded to play Galesburg.
The
Three-Headed Coaching Staff
In
a day and age of coaches moving routinely from place to place, the girls
basketball program has had the benefit of Evan Massey coaching at GHS since
1978. Not only that, his two main assistants--- Mike Rux and Steve Peachey---
have been at his side since the program took off in the early 1990s.
Peachey
is the emotional leader of the coaching staff. HeÕs the one that likes to
remind the players of what happened in the past and what they are playing for.
Rux coaches the sophomore team, scouts, and runs the most media-savvy public
relations program for a high school basketball team in the entire State.
Massey
adapts his program to virtually everything. A rash of knee injuries led to a
preventive program implemented at GHS for his team. Rotating Regionals and
Sectionals led to him amending his schedule. His only failure (if you can call
it that) is not attracting over 2,000 fans to a game.
Put
it this way--- RuxÕs sophomore team plays in front of more fans on a Thursday
night than most varsity teams do in Central Illinois.
Try
and find another coaching staff like this one in terms of longevity, success
and the ability to promote their team. You wonÕt find one.
Success
breeds . . .
Ami
Pendry shot 1 for 15 in a Super Sectional game against Belvidere in 1996 and
then nailed a huge three-point basket to give Galesburg a lead it would never
relinquish.
Brenna
Saline was 2 for 14 against Peoria Richwoods two years ago in the Sectionals
but kept firing away anyway in a game the Streaks lost.
Sometimes
it works and sometimes it doesnÕt. But the fact that both players, 9 years
apart, kept firing speaks volumes.
The
System makes them comfortable. It tells them, based upon their position, where
they are supposed to be and what they are supposed to do.
Watch
the Streak girls practice and itÕs more of a teaching environment. Contrast
that to the boys and the previous eight coaches during MasseyÕs tenure. ThereÕs
a lot of yelling going on. Sometimes, itÕs needed. But IÕve never seen Massey
do that.
ThereÕs
been some speculation as to how long this run of success will go. ItÕs
inevitable that it will end. Everything does. Newt GingrichÕs Contract With
America blew up the entitlement Democrats thought they had by controlling
Congress for six decades. We have Gonzaga instead of UCLA and the Mavericks
instead of the Celtics.
Enjoy
it, donÕt read into it. Go to the tournament games. Watch some fast breaks and
see some kids play Silver Streak basketball.
Just
donÕt call them ladies.
02/15/07