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30 | November 15, 2018 | The highland park landmark sports hplandmark.com ‘Love of the game’ Schramm’s drive to coach Erin Redmond Freelance Reporter It’s not uncommon for Chuck Schramm to be out and about in Highland Park and be recognized. When he’s been coaching as long as he has, it’s bound to happen. Schramm recently hung up his coaching hat after 52 years at Highland Park High School. During his tenure, he coached a wide variety of sports, including basketball, baseball, softball, track and golf. He spent 30 of his 52 years with the latter. Over all that time, Schramm has seen many of his former players grow, send their children to HPHS and even some of their kids, too. NORTH SHORE “You walk down the streets of Highland Park and everyone says ‘hi, coach,” Schramm said. “You feel like you’re Santa Claus. It’s a great feeling.” Like his Christmas-time counterpart, Schramm gave his athletes gifts — priceless ones. His gifts, however, were intangible: the gifts of sportsmanship, winning and losing with grace and developing a love for their game. “I was one of those coaches who was very much about enjoying [the game], having fun with it, wanting to win — there’s no doubt about that — but we had music in the gym, we had the guys doing crazy, fun things,” Schramm said. “I think that’s what sports are supposed A 22ND CENTURY MEDIA PRODUCTION to be: they’re supposed to be fun. You can still reach your goals, I had all those Division-I players, and I know it worked because of a love of the game instead of fear.” It’s a love that has been a part of Schramm for as long as he can remember. He played basketball for Highland Park High School, graduating in 1951 before continuing his career in college. The Boston Celtics drafted him, but he accepted a contract from Vickers Petroleum Company in Wichita, Kansas, instead because in those days, that’s where the money was. “A beer was a dime in those days, you could go to the movies for 12 cents — there was a big difference EXCLUSIVE ANALYSIS AND INTERVIEWS about your favorite high school teams. Sports editors Michal Dwojak and Michael Wojtychiw host the only North Shore sports podcast. FIND THE VARSITY: NORTH SHORE ON SOUNDCLOUD, ITUNES OR HPLANDMARK.COM/SPORTS in what a dollar meant,” he said. “…[With the contract from Vickers] I thought I was a millionaire. I was very successful there and very happy. I did come back to Highland Park because I wanted to give back and help the kids.” In addition to working for HPHS, Schramm also spent more than 60 years with the Park District of Highland Park and ran a basketball prep league in Deerfield to give those who were cut from the high school teams a chance to develop their skills. He also coached basketball at the College of Lake County. In fact, he simultaneously coached three basketball teams one season: two at the college and the girls team at Highland Park, leading the latter to the sectional finals that year. With more than half a century of coaching under his belt, Schramm said it was hard to pinpoint a favorite memory, but there is one that stood out. During his playing days at HPHS, he developed a friendly grudge for the Waukegan team, having lost to them 80-40 in his final game as a Giant. So when one of his teams got a shot at revenge, he took it. That particular year, Waukegan was ranked No. 5 in the state with an almost guaranteed shot to make it to state — but they had to get through Highland Park in the regionals first. “I’m a great believer in revenge,” he said with a laugh. “It sounds a little mean, but that’s the way sports are: you want to get even. They were supposed Chuck Schramm outlines a defensive play to Highland Park basketball players in the early 1970s, as published in the school’s “Shoreline” newspaper. Photo Submitted Photo Submitted to go downstate and we bumped them off.” Schramm said there was no better feeling then coaching his team in front of packed crowds or in nail-biting games. He has seen many of his players go on to play in college, go pro in Europe and even make the NBA. But for him, it was never about riding on the accomplishments of his athletes. He was simply doing his job. “When I first started coaching, they didn’t pay — it was an honor,” Schramm said. “The way I feel about coaching, and why I lasted so long, was that I always thought it was an honor to coach Highland Park kids. They’re great kids.” Last December, those “great kids” became even greater in the Giants’ coach’s eyes. After being diagnosed with cancer, he went to see his oncology doctor, only to learn it was a former player. And when it was time to start chemotherapy at Whitehall of Deerfield, he was stunned to see his chemotherapy doctor was a former athlete of his, too. And it ended up being former players who helped him achieve his biggest victory of all. “I won the battle. I fought the battle and I won. That was big,” Schramm said. It wasn’t cancer that led to his decision to retire, however; it was just time. With a bad knee and an 85th birthday coming up in November, Schramm said he simply wanted to have more time to spend with his wife Marsha, his four children and 12 grandchildren — including his grandson who is in his senior season playing basketball at Deerfield. Schramm said he wanted to go out on top and with this year’s varsity golf squad, he truly felt like he did. Schramm will be honored at the Deerfield-Highland Park basketball game Jan. 10, 2019 for his years of coaching. “All I wanted was a little thanks and that’s what they’re going to say,” he said. “It’s been fun.”
hplandmark.com sports the highland park landmark | November 15, 2018 | 31 Girls Swimming and diving Goldin, Smith make state cut for Giants David Jaffe Freelance Reporter 1st-and-3 Photo Submitted Stars of the Week 1. Alex Goldin (Above). The freshman swimmer made the state cut by finishing fourth in the 50-yard free race; she qualified by besting the state cut time by a 10th of a second. 2. Ireland Hieb The four-year varsity volleyball outside hitter graces our First Team list, again, in our 2018 Girls Volleyball Team 22 all-area team. 3. Ella Weil The libero made the 2018 Team 22 Second Team list for being a consistently reliable player on the back line for the Giants. New Trier’s girls swim team’s future is bright with talented, young swimmers on the roster. Those swimmers made big waves at the Saturday, Nov. 10 Glenbrook North Section when the Trevians qualified at least one swimmer for the IHSA state meet in every event. Five of the swimmers who qualified were freshmen as New Trier won the sectional with 304 points. Highland Park qualified two individual swimmers, freshman Alex Goldin and senior Abby Smith, as the team finished eighth with 69 points. Goldin qualified in the 50-yard free race when she finished fourth in 24.28 seconds, ahead of the 24.37 state cut. “I was pretty excited when I saw my time,” Goldin said. “During the race after the first wall, I was able to see my mom and I felt good after seeing her reaction. In the 50, you This Week In ... Giant Athletics Girls Basketball ■Nov. ■ 16 - at Mundelein Tournament vs. Grayslake North, 4:30 p.m. ■Nov. ■ 17 - at Mundelein Tournament, vs. Highland Park senior Abby Smith swims the 100-yard butterfly in which she took second place at the Glenbrook North Sectional Saturday, Nov. 10, in Northbrook. Scott Margolin/22nd Century Media spend practice focusing on technique and then during the race, you know that part of it so you just focus on going all out and not thinking too much about it.” This is Goldin’s first season on the varsity squad, and had previous swam on a club team. Mundelein, 3 p.m. Girls Swimming and Diving ■Nov. ■ 17 - at IHSA State (New Trier), 5 p.m. “I’ve loved my first year on varsity,” she said. “My teammates and particularly my coaches have really helped me come very far as a swimmer. Coming from club, it’s been great to be a part of. I didn’t expect things to go this way.” Smith will join Goldin on the state stage, she Boys Basketball ■Nov. ■ 19 - at Ridgewood Tournament, vs. Leyden, 5:30 p.m. ■Nov. ■ 20 - at Ridgewood Tournament, vs. Norridge, 7 p.m. qualified in two events after she took second in the 200 individual medley and second in the butterfly. The 2018 state meet will be Smith’s second appearance, last year she missed the cut the first day of state to advance to the finals in the 500 free and the 100 fly. For Goldin, she’s looking ■Nov. ■ 21 - at Ridgewood Tournament, vs. Maine East, 5:30 p.m. Wrestling ■Nov. ■ 21 - at Fenwick, 4:30 p.m. Boys Ice Hockey forward experiencing what state has to offer. “I’m excited for the atmosphere of the state meet,” Goldin said. “The most important thing is to have fun when I’m there. I’ve never swam at Evanston before but I’m hopeful that I can do well and enjoy the experience.” ■Nov. ■ 21 - vs. Deerfield (Glacier), 7:40 p.m. Girls Ice Hockey ■Nov. ■ 17 - hosts Latin Blue, 7:45 p.m. ■Nov. ■ 18 - at Barrington Fillies, 6:50 p.m. Listen Up “When I first started coaching, they didn’t pay — it was an honor.” Chuck Scramm — former Giants golf and basketball coach, on how he viewed the job when he started tune in Boys Basketball The Giants kick off the 2018 season against Ridgewood High School in Norridge. • Highland Park at Ridgewood High School, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 7 p.m. Index 28 - Pressbox Picks 27 - Athlete of the Week Fastbreak is compiled by Sports Editor Brittany Kapa. Send any questions or comments to b.kapa@22ndcenturymedia.com.
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