Hundreds of people gathered at Normal Community High School to welcome back the boys basketball team from the state championships over the weekend. The team received a fond and enthusiastic welcome from fans and family after taking second place in Class 4A against Homewood-Flossmoor.
We are taught as young people to value winning. That message can obscure the idea the pursuit of excellence is in itself a victory. The NCHS Ironmen lost the championship game but in the eyes of the community they are champions.
Principal Adam Zbrozek said it takes courage to put yourself out there knowing there are no guarantees of an outcome and success takes hard work.
"But it takes even more courage to put yourself out there and after you have fallen to get up and try again. It's human nature to look downward when we've lost or feel sad, but I challenge you to look up and take in what's around you," said Zbrozek.
Zbrozek echoed the oft repeated motto "we are stronger together." He said the memories the basketball players created in their season will last a lifetime.
Head coach Dave Witzig marveled at the sea of orange-draped fans that came out in Champaign to be part of the great thing the team created. He said on the way to Champaign Friday they drove by a couple grade schools where kids outside held signs of support. They got a police escort out of town, and then another one in Champaign to the hall.
"It felt like the old-fashioned days where the community comes around the local high school team and everyone joins together," said Witzig.
Zbrozek said in Champaign the fans showed that "community" by staying positive and classy.
"Almost every IHSA staff member shared how amazing our fans were," said Zbrozek.
Witzig said that bonding experience is maybe what the community needs at this particular moment.
"The world news is crazy. The election coming up is going to divide us. Maybe we need to put down our phones and turn off the news and come and support the local high school team and support the kids," said Witzig.
Witzig said he was encouraged by how the community came together for the team and hopes it can continue as NCHS students showcase the huge amount of talent and hope in the building through supporting things like the musical and spring sports so everyone can help each other be their best.
Assistant Coach Nathan Foster quoted now retired Alabama Football Coach Nick Saban who often poses the question, are you an and person or are you a but person, a positive or a negative? Foster said there are a lot of and people on the NCHS basketball team.
"They're good at sports and they're nice to other students in the hallways. They're good at sports and they are positive leaders in our school. They're good at sports and they're supportive of other teams and athletes in the building. They're good at sports and they represent their school, their families, and this community in a positive manner," said Foster.
Senior player Marcus Russell called the season an "amazing journey." He will miss playing with his teammates who are "amazing on and off the court." He said they didn't give up on each other even in down moments. And Russell thanked the coaches.
"When coaches yelled at us for small things and we felt it was not a big deal, it pretty well was because those little things matter. That's what helped us get all those trophies and get us here to this stage today. And I am blessed and thankful for the coaching staff for pushing me and yelling at me all the time. It's a blessing to have those kinds of guys around me," said Russell.
Senior Jaheem Webber also thanked coaches, even though he said they can be annoying at times, especially about what he called dumb stuff. But...
"There are a lot of guys in the coaching world in high school and in college who are not very genuine. These guys are some of the most true and genuine coaches I've ever had," said Webber.
It can be hard for anyone to put a loss at such a stage into perspective after putting your soul into a pursuit for years and years. Yet, Webber said he will remember the joyous parts of the final game.
"It was a sea of orange. A ton of fans. A ton of support from the community that backed us up so well. And to be able to make a run like that before our hometown is just really special for us. I felt we build a legacy that will live on here at the school forever," said Weber.
As the seniors scatter, to graduation, to colleges and on with their lives, senior player Braylon Roman said it is not the loss but the journey and building bonds with team members that will matter in the end.
"Something that's bigger than basketball, building a brotherhood with my teammates is something I will remember for the rest of my life. Being able to compete with guys I've been playing with for years. Every day those guys made me better," said Roman.
Coach Witzig said he told the team in the locker room after the loss the trophy signified an incredible run and can be a proud moment, as is what happened after a loss to Metamora on Feb. 3. Witzig said it was an inflection point on the season. At such moments Witzig said it's hard to know how it will turn.
"That's one of the great things about high school boys. You just never know when it's going to click. And after that game it kind of clicked. We talked about it before about things we needed to clean up but after that loss in front of a huge crowd, a big central Illinois game, Metamora had a huge crowd and we had a huge crowd. I think that was the moment we clicked and we kind of took a step," said Witzig.
For this year's seniors, the sting of the loss will likely fade and the memories they have will be the ones they want to preserve, their own struggles to achieve and the appreciation of fans and fellow students.
