Coach Mike Gaspari to speak at 47th annual Batavia Brotherhood Banquet

The Batavia Brotherhood Banquet Committee will host the 47th annual evening of Christian fellowship. The Brotherhood Banquet will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, at Immanuel Lutheran Church and School, 950 Hart Road, Batavia.

The Batavia Brotherhood Banquet is an annual gathering of Christian men of all denominations to share a meal and fellowship. This event continues the Batavia tradition of ecumenical gathering and cooperation.

The 2016 banquet will feature Batavia coaching great Mike Gaspari. He was able to help the young men of our community as head coach of the Batavia High School football team for 27 years, as well as three seasons as the offensive coordinator. He was part of 18 IHSA playoff teams, the 2013 IHSA 6A State Champions, 2006 IHSA 6A State Runner-up, nine conference championships and coached eight All-State quarterbacks. Additionally he served in administrative roles as the assistant athletic director and was then named the athletic director in 1991.

As a student-athlete, Gaspari was a standout at Rockford Boylan, earning all-conference honors in football and baseball. He moved on to Rock Valley Community College where he became a NJCAA All-American in football and then was a two-year starter at wide receiver at North Central College.

During his time at Batavia High School, he has been recognized with some lofty awards. In 2011, Mike was inducted into the Illinois Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, in 2006 he was named the Batavia, Illinois Citizen of the Year and in 1996 he received the Kane County Superintendents Award (Kane County Educator of the Year Banquet).

Gaspari joined the Aurora University football staff as an assistant coach in January 2015. He will serve as the quarterbacks coach for the Spartans.

Tickets are $15 and are available at all Batavia churches or at the door. For more information, contact Steven McKenna at (630) 204-7943 or s9mckenna@gmail.com.