Mike North: A tribute to a tireless high school coach
I got a text early in the week from Notre Dame College Prep basketball coach Tom Les.
At first I was stunned to read that he was retiring from coaching after 10 years at the school, which is located in Niles.
Tom took over a perennially under-.500 basketball program and turned it around.
Under his leadership, 20-plus win seasons became the norm.
Tom lives in the far western suburbs and drove more than 70 miles on a daily basis so he could coach a group of young men to do their best. And, let me tell you all, he did it without compensation.
Imagine that - he volunteered hours and hours of his own time just because he wanted to give something back to the school he attended as a young man.
In 2007, Tom was asked to be head coach by its new school president, the Rev. John P. Smyth, and for anyone who knows Father Smyth, he's a tough man to turn down. He wanted the sports programs to improve because he knew their success would be instrumental in helping the school prosper, so he recruited Tom to coach and later me as an assistant.
I was still working at the Score (WSCR 670-AM), and I didn't know Tom at the time. I can imagine he wasn't too sure about me, but he welcomed me with open arms. I took a tedious coaching test, but it was worth it because the six years I spent on the coaching staff under Tom were extremely rewarding.
In addition to the kids he coached, Tom influenced many others. I personally learned so much from him, and it was apparent early on I couldn't stay with the guy.
I have a ton of energy, but Tom was tireless. He worked summer camps, clinics and did everything he could to make Notre Dame College Prep a program that would be admired and successful.
If you talk to coaches in the Eastern Catholic League, they know ND never got the top talent. We never had a superstar like the ones we played against - guys like Jalen Brunson, Frank Kaminsky, Jabari Parker, Drew Crawford, Dave Sobolweski or Tyler Ulis.
Notre Dame was a blue-collar program with the sons of policemen, firefighters, carpenters, plumbers and the like.
Opposing teams knew when they played Notre Dame they were in for a battle because Tom preached defense. His best chance to go downstate was two years ago when Stevenson beat Notre Dame 76-75 in a game in which Brunson put up 41. Brunson probably was the best player Tom's teams ever went up against.
Tom is a straightforward guy, with a no-nonsense attitude and the energy of five men. I really believe Tom would have been a great college coach, but he runs a successful business in Crystal Lake, and he also has grandchildren he adores.
He's done at Notre Dame now, but the great group of kids he coached always will carry a little of Tom Les with them. Good luck, Coach!
• Follow Mike on Twitter @north2north. Check out his podcast Monday-Friday at podcastarena.com, iTunes or audioboom. His column appears each Friday in the Daily Herald. For more, visit northtonorth.com.