Imagine a tournament in which both teams finish as champions. That's what occurred Monday in Bridgeport, Connecticut when the Marist College (disclaimer: where I teach) Lady Red Foxes played Loyola University Maryland's Greyhounds for the Women's Basketball MAAC Championship. (Marist won 63-45). Professional teams can only aspire to the consummate level of sportsmanship shown by both coaches, Brian Giorgis of Marist and Joe Logan of Loyola. When Logan led his team on the court after the game to honor Marist, he wasn't just going through the motions. The crowd and fans at each school knew they were experiencing a rare display of mutual respect. Each of these coaches will be the first to thank their players and their fans as well as each other; but think each deserves even a little more time in the spotlight.
Both Brian Giorgis, right, and Joe Logan, below, have been MAAC Coaches of the Year and are homegrown and happy right where they are even though both might find opportunities elsewhere. Logan graduated from Loyola in 1996, met his wife there, and has developed a solid basketball program and winning team. Georgis, long-time coach at Our Lady of Lourdes High School, has coached in Poughkeepsie for 34 years—the past nine at Marist. His loyalty even has been recognized by The New York Times:
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. — After the buzzer echoed through the McCann Center, ending the regular season, 3,000 cheering fans of the Marist women’s basketball team stopped and turned their focus to midcourt, where Coach Brian Giorgis held a microphone.
His Red Foxes had just beaten Fairfield, 60-45, to finish a perfect run through their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference schedule, going 18-0 for the second time in four years. The victory gave Marist a 23-game winning streak, the nation’s longest and the best in the program’s history. Giorgis used his time to lavish praise on his players and their adoring fans.
For many other coaches of successful midmajor programs, a scene like the one at McCann last Sunday would be a first step toward goodbye on the road to a more high-profile position. But Giorgis has been a part of the fabric of Poughkeepsie for 34 years, first as a high school coach and, since 2002, at Marist. It is not very likely that he is going anywhere.
“I’ll listen to somebody, but it would take an awful lot,” Giorgis said later, away from the crowd. “I’m about my happiness."
Giorgis gives back freely to his community. "Most importantly, Brian has been good for Dutchess County and Poughkeepsie," said James McGuirk, CEO of Astor Services for Children. "After Marist made the NCAA Sweet Sixteen a few years ago, I invited Brian to speak at Astor's annual dinner. He not only agreed without hesitation, he asked if there was anything else he could do for us--and he's been a regular supporter since then, someone who really understands and appreciates the value of the work we do with kids and families. It's been a pleasure to know him and to follow his success."
Both coaches receive high praise from the presidents of their colleges. “I truly believe he’s one of the great coaches in America, men’s or women’s game,” said Dennis J. Murray, Marist’s president, praising Brian Giorgis. “The high quality of the women you see on this team, both in their character and intellect — they’re great students — is reflective of the coach.” Rev. Brian Linnane, S.J., President of Loyola University of Maryland, said fondly of Joe Logan: ""Joe realizes that our student-athletes have a unique opportunity to understand and embrace the core values that define Loyola as a Jesuit university—principles like honesty, integrity, leadership, and commitment to community. He also knows that student-athletes have a chance to uphold these values in a visible way that guides and inspires other students as well. For all his considerable accomplishments on the court, his unwavering commitment to helping the young women on his team accept and thrive in their roles as student-leaders is his most valuable contribution to his alma mater."
Join me in wishing both coaches, both schools, and both teams many successes in the future, and in thanking them for bringing the true spirit of athletics to our young people.
William Van Ornum
My interest and love of women's BB is long-lived. It began when I played as a guard on my small Midwestern girls" hight school andas a guard during my freshman year at college. Here is a bit of interesting history.........For a time it was believed that girls/women didn't have the stamina to play on a full court. So at the time I played the teams each had 6 girls, 3 guards and 3 forwards and the court was split in half. As a guard I'd try to get the ball away from my opponent forward and lob it across the line to my forward. Thank goodness that notion was done away with. the game is much faster and more exciting played on full court and as seen by these great BB teams, women have more than enough stamina!!
As I read through this article, I could not help but relate it to your article, The Future of Mental Health. I discussed how jobs are becoming more about the money rather than the love for what they do and it is difficult to do a thorough job when they do not have the want to be there. However, Giorgis has a different case. It was stated in the article "last Sunday would be a first step toward goodbye on the road to a more high-profile position..." and yet Giorgis was quoted saying "I'm about my happiness." I give him that much more respect for sticking with the Womens Basketball program at Marist. I truely believe that is a large factor to their success, he puts all of his efforts into the program because he loves what he does. Not only does he focus on his team but he also goes above and beyond for the community. He is a perfect example of somebody who does more than necessary because of his love for his job and he has not left for a higher position which would probably pay more. If only more people would stick to a profession they love rather than what pays, they would benefit others around them.
When I went home over break, people knew the school that I went to and I was proud to be a member of the Marist community that is representative of the values that we hold so high –integrity, honesty, leadership and a commitment to community. Our student body embraces these core values and also their commitment to a spiritual life. This spiritual life I believe has helped our student athletes in many ways.
The game, to decide who would be the champions of the MAAC, was abundant with support for both Marist College and Loyola University. Additionally, both teams showed a deep respect and appreciation for the hard work and dedication that the opposing team had put forth in order to achieve the honor of playing for the win. The championship venue is where these women were able to show off their skills. A championship game was one of the major goals of the season. For any athlete, part of the season is dedicated to getting to “the big show.” There is no feeling like an excellent performance with your team, setting the pace of your game and having the support of 3,000 cheering fans. Those fans were showing their appreciation of the efforts, time and sweat each and every player put into this single event.
It is essential for a team to have support, this includes from: the school, family, team and coaches alike. What is a win without anyone to share and appreciate it with? The Women’s basketball team deserved all the success they achieved this year and I offer my congratulations to them. As a former student athlete, I understand the commitment, time, energy and sacrifices that these women had to make for their triumphs. Having the responsibilities to be a student, let alone a Marist College student, while knowing there are expectations of them to perform on such a high athletic level surpasses being tough; it is a challenge every day. Granted these women get to play on television, have their faces on posters, and receive scholarship money, but the normal college experience that plenty of students call the “best years of their life,” is vastly different for these women and essentially does not exist. The entire college experience is like comparing apples to oranges in many ways. The point of these statements is for people to understand that they probably did not realize how hard this team actually worked for the title and honor of being MAAC champions. Their accomplishments exceed raw talent and much credit is due to them and their coach.
I would like to continue to congratulate coach Giorgis on his accomplishments this season and leading the Lady Foxes to victory. I am beyond satisfied with the emotion he displayed after the win against Fairfield. I strongly believe that every coach should feel that invested in their team. A team has difficulty performing for a coach they do not have confidence in. Essentially the coach and athlete relationship is a very dependent one. A coach needs to be there for their athletes, offering guidance and wisdom; the athlete needs to trust in the coach to take the advice and direction. Coach Giorgis and the Marist College Women’s Basketball team appear to have a relationship that is indicative of deep respect, appreciation, and confidence in each other.
Being an athlete for a Division I team is an enormous commitment that many people do not realize. It can wear a person down and push them past what they believed was their mental and physical limits. The fact that Girogis and the Women’s team had such a successful season and did so in a manner that is tasteful enough to make any team envious is a real reflection on their values and speaks highly to what Marist College is all about.