La Lumiere Basketball Program – National Ranking Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story

La-Lumiere-SchoolYesterday, La Lumiere School’s basketball team competed in the Dick’s Sporting Goods High School National Tournament. They joined other top-ten nationally ranked schools in New York City to compete in a tournament designed to answer the question, “Who is the best high school basketball team in the country?” The #5 tournament ranked Lakers squared off against #4 Huntington Prep from West Virginia. Huntington Prep’s JaQuan Lyle, who will play for Oregon next season, hit a 3-point shot at the buzzer to end a crazy fourth quarter and earn the win 65-63 over La Lumiere.

Coach Alan Huss commented on the experience of playing on the national stage, “While playing on ESPN is incredibly exciting, watching the positive impact that the individual players have had on school spirit and the La Lumiere community is by far the most rewarding accomplishment of the season. As a coach I could not be more pleased with the remarkable team chemistry that is at the center of our team’s success.”

In order to gain a true appreciation of the 2013-2014 La Lumiere Basketball team, you have to look beyond their #8 USA Today national ranking, the unprecedented attention from the county’s best universities and the fact that top student-athletes from around the world are increasingly choosing La Lumiere, to what really matters – character. The young men who comprise the La Lumiere team understand the value of hard work, the importance of academic success, and the meaning of serving the broader community.

The La Lumiere basketball program is just one component of the School’s Areas of Excellence. The vision for the Areas of Excellence is to put forth academic, artistic and athletic programs of distinction consistent with the School’s mission. Outstanding programs that attain state recognition (Science Olympiad, Art Portfolios and Academic Decathlon) and national recognition (Basketball, National Merit Scholars, College acceptances and scholarships) provide a platform for future success while becoming a point of pride that all constituents can embrace.

The purpose of each Area of Excellence is to promote La Lumiere School and attract the quality of boarding and day student consistent with the School’s Profile of a Graduate. To remain one of the premier small boarding and day schools in the Midwest, the School has developed several programs of distinction such as; the Global Studies Initiative, 21st Century Math and Science Program which includes a unique Environmental Science Program, and an Entrepreneurial Studies Program.

The quick ascent of the basketball program can be traced to the hiring of Coach Alan Huss. Not unlike filling an open teaching position, the School searched nationally for individuals who had a sense of the School’s expectations and who could advance its mission and vision. Headmaster Michael Kennedy commented, “Fortunately Coach Alan Huss was nearby at another prep school. While there, he came to understand the meaning of excellence and the importance of community. He and his family were a good fit with our community from the moment they first arrived.”

Off the court, the team fulfills the expectations of serving others. Teaming with the University of Notre Dame’s Women’s Basketball Program, the La Lumiere scholar-athletes assisted with the Lights on After School Program at the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County. The program is a nationwide public awareness campaign to call attention to the importance of afterschool programs for children, families and communities. The responsibilities included organizing ice breakers and basketball related activities for over 75 kids.

Additionally, prior to a tournament game in Washington, IL, a tragic tornado ripped through the town. La Lumiere players Joseph Toye (Chicago) and Drew Cayce (Northbrook) organized and executed a school-wide fundraiser for the tornado victims. Students were allowed to participate in a dress-down day to raise funds for a relief fund. The School presented over $2,000 to St Patrick Parish in Washington and assisted with the organization of donated items for the victims.

In the classroom, the majority of the team has earned Honor Roll status and the overall team grade point average hovers around 3.0. The challenge for the young men is to perform academically in a rigorous curriculum while balancing the expectations of playing on a team competing for the national championship. Academic excellence is not the only expectation placed on the students. In addition to 5:30 a.m. practices, the team willingly sacrificed their free time during vacation breaks to practice and it has paid off. Headmaster Michael Kennedy has a unique perspective as a former player and basketball coach at La Lumiere and now as the School’s leader. He commented, “The team has embraced the School mission of Character, Scholarship and Faith. We place a priority on the academics and community, the activity or sport a student chooses is secondary. We have high expectations for our students and faculty alike, and I am very pleased to see our students and student-athletes rise to the challenge. The national exposure the program has received has united and re-engaged alumni worldwide.”

Interestingly, more visitors to the School’s website have sparked a significant increase in those interested in the other Areas of Excellence. Kennedy added, “There just aren’t a lot of places doing what we are doing, the way we are doing it. When you have distinctive programs, outstanding and engaged faculty providing rigor and support, an environment that is culturally and racially diverse, and an open and safe campus – what we offer is a unique and truly college-like experience.”

The La Lumiere team is compiled of 2 freshman, 3 sophomores, 5 juniors and 4 seniors. The chemistry Coach Huss mentioned is critical when you have kids from all classes. The older kids serve as good examples of how to address La Lumiere’s academic rigor as well as meeting the community expectations of comportment both on and off campus. Also, the younger students benefit from high level practices and enjoy the opportunity to play in games watched by head coaches from Notre Dame, Georgetown, Vanderbilt, Virginia, UCLA, Arizona, Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Xavier, Providence, and Butler, to name just a few.