Tanya Thigpen has true passion for basketball, which might be surpassed only by a passion to develop student-athletes into responsible young men.
Thigpen, the Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School seventh-grade boys basketball coach, is stepping down, along with her colleague, eighth-grade coach Darren Haus. They have coached their respective teams for more than 20 years and have amassed hundreds of victories.
But know what? Thigpen, a paraprofessional at Brooks, has what she calls an “Am I my brother’s keeper?” philosophy that translates to excellence both on and off the court.
How serious is she? Her seventh graders have to wear a shirt and tie and khaki pants on gameday. Perhaps a bit stifling for youngsters, but there is something to be said about dressing for success.
“We are very no-nonsense,” said Thigpen. “When you wear nice clothes, certain behaviors you don’t do.”
What Thigpen did as well all those years as a coach was win. This past season, her team went undefeated until the final of the West Suburban Middle School Conference tournament, where it lost to crosstown rival Percy Julian Middle School. The boys finished 16-1 overall and a perfect 12-0 in league.
The team was led by off guard Jax Kemp and point guard Juanche Draine, who started the year before as sixth graders. Also lending major support were seventh graders Ethan Casselle, a shooting guard, Matthew Pomerenk, a power forward, and center Joseph Culbert. Sixth man Landon Little was a sparkplug off the bench.
That record is even more impressive when you consider Thigpen runs a full court press every game, pulling back only when her squad was up by 20 or more.
Thus, it’s true what Julian eighth-grade coach Connor Fuller says about Thigpen, a family friend.
“Coach T just likes dogs,” said Fuller, whose team went 15-0 this year and won the conference tournament. “If you love the game, and you want to win, she’s the coach for you.”
In a few years, it’s likely you’ll see these boys playing for Oak Park and River Forest High School or at one of the area private high schools, like Fenwick or St. Ignatius.
That’s the future. As for Thigpen, she’s going to continue coaching, at Chicago Christian in Palos Heights. But she’ll never forget her time at Brooks.
“I love teaching kids and doing what I do,” she said. “Basketball is my motor and the boys and who they are and how they care about each other got us through the season. We showed up every game to win.”
As for Haus, his eighth graders finished 12-9 and were led by forward Isaiah Prince and point guard Will Kelly. He, too, won’t soon forget the success over two decades he and Thigpen had.
“I think it’s the success we shared together with both teams,” he said. “For all of our run here, she helps me with my eighth-grade team, I sit on the bench for her seventh-grade games. We’re more interested in having our program successful than our individual teams.”
Across town at Julian, the seventh graders, led by forward Michael Podlasek, wing John “Trip” Hoerster and forward Tyler Sakellaris, went 13-2 en route to beating Brooks for the conference tournament title.
“It was pretty intense,” said Fuller, who didn’t see the title game against Brooks because he was coaching the eighth graders. “It was as fulfilling feeling. The kids understand the pressure. I want them to go out there and enjoy the ride and the moment. For these kids, this is probably the biggest game of their lives.”
Fuller’s eighth graders beat Summit Heritage to win the conference tournament and were paced by point guard Manny Shafer, forward Reid Fogarty and guard Ronan Fuller, who came off the bench and provided key leadership.
Of the 18 eighth-grade players he had, he estimates 15 of them will play next year, likely at OPRF.
“I can say the sky is the limit for them,” Fuller said. “I’m not saying they will be varsity players as freshmen, but if they keep developing have their same work ethic, it’s a no brainer that they will get up to the next level.”
