Lakes quickly constructs a 'W'
A carpenter by trade, Pete Schneider surely appreciates that great cities aren't built in a day.
As a basketball feeder league founder, he also surely appreciated that great high school basketball programs aren't built in a day either.
Schneider has quite a project on his hands these days, and the finished product won't be completed overnight. He's the first-year head girls coach at Lakes, which headed into this season with just 2 wins in four years as a varsity program. Schneider was named the third head coach in Lakes' history last May.
"It's no secret, we have a lot of work to do," he said before the season.
Perhaps the foundation has been laid.
Last Saturday, the Eagles captured their first win under Schneider in just their fourth game. They defeated Elgin 56-53 in final-round action of the Geneva tournament after leading most of the game.
The Maroons took the lead with 2:30 to go and held a four-point lead until Jenna Schellinger knocked down a baseline jumper. On the Eagles' next possession, sophomore Katie Brinser (5 points) was fouled and sank both free throws to tie the game.
Ashley Parmly (13 points) then hit a shot for Lakes, and Schelllinger finished off the scoring with a free throw. Schellinger ended with 10 points, as did Antioch-transfer Jennifer Totten. The Eagles made 16 of 25 foul shots, with Schneider saying they made them when needed. He also credited his players for having "great energy" and not letting themselves be defeated.
Lakes opened with losses to state-ranked Geneva, St. Charles North and Providence Catholic, but Schneider says the Eagles are "working hard and improving daily."
Schneider has never been a varsity coach, but no one should doubt his basketball knowledge.
A dozen years ago, he along with Don Laird and Ken Royal founded the Northern Illinois Girls Feeder Basketball Association. NIGFBA started with five programs and 12 teams and has since grown to 31 programs and 120 teams.
The last five years, Schneider, who played for Libertyville in the 1970s, served as the sophomore girls coach at Mundelein under varsity head coach Brian Evans.
Schneider has hosted coaching clinics and has run numerous camps, as well.
"I've been very fortunate to work with some great coaches, like Brian Evans," Schneider said.
Schneider appreciates a good coaching staff and has confidence in the one he has assembled at Lakes. His varsity assistant is Brian Cardarella, while two former area stars are helping him on the lower levels. Those coaches are former Warren Blue Devil Tori Bloom and Schneider's daughter Christi, who played at Libertyville.
The Eagles seek their second win of the season tonight, when they travel to Wisconsin to play St. Joseph.