Batavia’s Roberts ‘humbled’ with Hall ceremony

Jim Roberts had attended Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame induction ceremonies before.

Among others, he’d seen 40-year Batavia announcer Rudy Dubis enter as a “friend of basketball” in 1998. He was there when former Bulldog Dean Anderson get the call with the Class of 2007.

On April 30 it was Roberts’ turn to receive the honor at the 2011 IBCA ceremony on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal.

“It was very humbling,” Roberts said earlier this week. “It brought back a lot of great memories.

“As I told a number of former players, the only reason I’ve been fortunate to be able to be recognized in this fashion was a reflection of what they did on the court, honestly.”

For 26 years he’s looked resplendent on Batavia’s bench in sport jacket and tie. Roberts was nominated by Geneva coach Phil Ralston in a show of respect, support and admiration.

“It was very kind of Phil to do that, and greatly appreciated,” Roberts said.

The coach said he marveled at seeing coaches like Ron Felling, who went from Lawrenceville to assisting Bobby Knight at Indiana; and Lee Cabutti of Champaign Central, who Roberts recalls playing at Batavia when he was in grade school.

Roberts had his own entourage at the ceremony, including Batavia athletic director Mike Gaspari, just recently inducted into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association, and an assortment of current and former assistants, players, friends and family.

Roberts’ wife, Sylvia, was there to enjoy the moment. With her still regaining her health after suffering from pancreatitis, that “puts everything in perspective very quickly,” the coach said.

For a man who never held the Hall of Fame as goal, perspective doesn’t seem to be an issue.

“I’m very appreciative of the players who have done the things that they have done,” he said, “along with the assistant coaches who’ve allowed me to be recognized like this. I’m very fortunate.”

You heard it there first

Yes, you heard right. That was one of Roberts’ former players, Adam LeTourneau, Batavia Class of 2010, doing the sports report for WONC FM 89.1, the outstanding rock music station of North Central College in Naperville.

Getting there

Geneva’s first-year boys varsity volleyball team may currently be winless, but it doesn’t mean the Vikings are unsuccessful.

Their 15 players — including just one senior and no club players — spent 2010 practicing with but a sole scrimmage against St. Charles North’s junior varsity. When Geneva joined the Upstate Eight Conference, rather than wait they dived in to varsity play.

“We thought maybe we’d just as well give it a shot and see where we’re at,” said Geneva athletic director Jim Kafer.

“Probably we weren’t ready for that, but in the long run we may benefit from it because the boys have got a taste for it and they know what they need to do to be competitive.”

As does coach K.C. Johnsen, the Batavia farmer who estimated that in 11 seasons coaching Geneva girls volleyball his teams have averaged about 28 wins.

His approach is a steady diet of fundamentals, because what opponents mainly have over Geneva is experience and consistency — “absolutely crucial when you’re first learning and competing.”

Junior outside hitter Brett Quillen said Johnsen and assistant coach Abby Norman are naturally keeping things very simple.

“We’ve done a couple variations on where hitters go but nothing too complicated,” said Quillen, one of the keys to the future along with outside hitter Nick Caruso and middle hitter Alex Kimball. Another middle hitter, Adam Lynch, is the Vikings’ sole senior. Kemp Demarias is learning the setter position on the fly.

“It’s pretty straightforward,” Quillen said, because we’re just trying to hit the ball and keep it in play as long as we can.”

Geneva has reached a third game in a match once this season, losing to Larkin 25-23 in the third. Due to inconsistency, the Vikings might lose a game by two points, then the opponent will win the next by 15.

“They’ve got kids who have played hundreds of matches and we’ve played seven,” said Johnsen, whose next game on Geneva’s limited schedule is May 10 at home against Streamwood.

“The 0-7 has been rough, but the improvement that they literally do every day and every practice is dramatic.”

A main challenge in this sort of situation is for the players to keep a positive mental outlook. That’s an area Johnsen is particularly proud of, successfully treading the fine line between complacency and frustration.

In turn, Quillen said Johnsen’s attitude has been “very optimistic.”

The coach hopes that the annual summer volleyball camp will continue to hone their game as well as attract between 30 to 40 players to the squad, sufficient to expand to more than varsity and junior varsity teams. Quillen said some of the boys are considering entering the club volleyball scene.

“I’m excited for what we can do,” Quillen said. “It’s kind of bad to be looking ahead, but all of our skills will be more refined. We’ve got some good athletes, so I think we’ll be able to play much better.”

Johnsen is also encouraged by the foundation that’s been laid and by what the future will hold. As well, for the potential this group of “quick learners” may offer in the few remaining matches this season.

“It’s off to what I think is a good start,” the coach said. “We’re about getting to the point where we’re not going to settle for getting better and competing well, we’re starting to get hungry for some wins.”

doberhelman@dailyherald.com