MSL title coaches connected by Conant
Conant boys basketball coach Tom McCormack will be in a win-win situation as he watches the Mid-Suburban League championship game Wednesday at Schaumburg.
Two of McCormack's former players and coaches have their teams playing for the title in Rolling Meadows' Kevin Katovich (Class of 1989) and Schaumburg's Matt Walsh (Class of 1993).
McCormack joked he wasn't going to wear a sweater that was half Schaumburg red and half Meadows purple.
“I'll cheer for both of them and I'm really proud of both of those guys,” McCormack said. “It will be a neat thing to see.”
Moments after Meadows beat Leyden in overtime on Saturday, Katovich went in the stands to chat with Walsh, who was scouting the game.
“Matt and I were talking about how it will be fun,” said Katovich, who also was an assistant at Conant for two years before going to Prospect and then Meadows. “We've known each other so long.”
Walsh was a Daily Herald all-area guard for the Cougars in 1993. He came back to coach at his alma mater from 1996-2009, when he was hired to become Schaumburg's head coach.
“Kevin is a really good coach and an even better friend,” Walsh said. “I'm really happy for him.”
Both coaching staffs also have deep MSL ties. Meadows assistants Brett Olson and Kyle Schmid played for Katovich, Kevin Carlson played for Katovich and Glen Elms at Prospect and Kevin Mueller played at Hoffman Estates.
Mueller's dad Tom was also a long-time basketball and baseball assistant coach at Schaumburg who retired last spring.
Walsh also has the Conant connection with former players who are now assistants in Brett Sharkey and Billy Comiskey. Tom Burke played on Schaumburg's 2001 Class AA state champion and Bob Cosentino and Jonny Reibel played at Hoffman Estates.