An experience to savor: Batavia’s Jim Nazos enjoying opportunity to coach son Nate

Coaching youth sports can be one of the most gratifying things we do as adults.

Improving the skills of young athletes is the most obvious goal, but the best leaders also act as mentors and teach valuable life lessons to create a ripple effect that lasts generations.

Many of us have played that role over the years — whether it be in Little League, AAU basketball, soccer or flag football.

Then there's the truly lucky ones — like Batavia High School's Jim Nazos, whose son Nate is the starting point guard on a team that might win 20 games and believes it can compete for a sectional crown.

“When I was a freshman or a sophomore, I didn't really know what to expect. I just knew I was excited,” Nate said of being coached by his father. “I feel like I've been waiting my whole life to get a chance to play for him. I've enjoyed it very much.”

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Jim felt the call to coach while playing for the now defunct Driscoll Catholic High School in Addison. He landed his first gig as an assistant under Bob Miller at Glenbard North. After that it was on to Wheaton North, where he assisted Bob Ward, who won more than 300 games and was inducted into the Illinois High School Hall of Fame in 2015.

Jim took over for Ward in 2000 at just 28 years old and spent 12 years at Wheaton North before taking the Batavia job.

During this time Nazos' eldest son began falling in love with the sport. He fondly recalled shooting in the Wheaton North gym at age 4 or 5.

“I've been playing as long as I can remember,” Nate said.

Jim did lend a hand as an assistant on Nate's youth squads, but the majority of his time was spent coaching the high school teams.

Many who have coached their sons or daughters can relate to a couple of potential issues:

∎ Your kid won't heed your advice. “Please, Dad. Whatever.”

Nate, however, knew his father not only played in high school but also at Benedictine University in Lisle.

“The majority of the time I knew he knew what he was talking about,” Nate said. “So me and all my teammates always listened to everything he said because we truly trust him.”

∎ Perceived favoritism can lead to bruised feelings or splintered teams.

There's none of that at Batavia, thanks to Nate's work ethic, leadership ability and — of course — his performance on the court. Nate is Batavia's leading scorer at 11 points a game and also averages 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.

“He works hard at it, which is what I'm most proud of,” Jim said. “This morning he grabbed my keys before 6 a.m. to go to the gym, open it up and shoot. He'll do that two, three times a week.”

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The neat thing about this Batavia squad, which is 16-8 overall and 8-6 in the DuKane Conference, is that it boasts a roster of 14 seniors. Many — like C.J. Valente, Kyle Porter, Gavin Engelhart, Charlie Whelpley, Luke Alwin and Jacob Aseltine — have been playing with Nate for nearly a decade.

So to say they're tight is quite an understatement. That cohesiveness is no doubt one reason Batavia is holding opponents to a mere 40.9 points a game. Seven foes have failed to score more than 35 points.

“We're always just spending the majority of our time together and that's how it's been for eight years of our lives,” Nate said. “We started in third, fourth grade and have always been best friends.”

One rule Jim has is to rarely talk shop in the house. Good game, bad game, doesn't matter.

Home is home.

Of course, nobody's perfect and occasionally someone slips. The best example came last year when Jim was watching film of an 81-77 double-overtime loss to Wheaton North. Batavia had a 3-point lead in the waning seconds of regulation, but Nate fouled the shooter at the horn.

“I was watching film and I got (mad),” Jim said. “It was about the only time I ever brought anything up.”

Nate has a thick skin, though, and wasn't surprised by his dad's reaction.

“I remember that,” Nate said. “It's hard to sit there and not say anything when I make a decision like that. Even all my family members and my friends give me a hard time for that one.”

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There are just three games left in the regular season before Batavia hosts a regional, starting on Feb. 21. Nate believes the Bulldogs have what it takes to win the regional and possibly claim the school's first sectional title since 2003.

Some of Batavia's success has stemmed from Nate's willingness to tell Jim what he's seeing on the floor. It's something that wasn't necessarily prevalent last season but has steadily grown during Nate's senior campaign.

“It's actually getting to the point now where he's starting to communicate on the floor, then coming over and talking to me about what he's seeing,” Jim said. “'Hey, we might be able to get this. What do you think about that?'

“He's starting to grow in that regard.”

Whenever the curtain does fall, it figures to be a bittersweet moment for father and son. And mom Lora, too, of course. All three will be on the court Friday for Senior Night when Batavia hosts Wheaton Warrenville South.

On Sunday, Lora actually asked Jim how he planned to handle the festivities. We won't play spoiler here, but let's just say there may be a few tears falling for many who have watched this group grow over the years.

“In the moment you will be a little bit emotional because it's the end of a pretty cool run,” Jim said. “I thought he had a good career. There's also a whole bunch of seniors here that I'm attached to, too.

“There is a little bit more. It's a group that never had any drama or selfishness or personal agendas. They all just enjoy each other.

“I'm just jacked that our son's a part of that too. It was such a good group.”