Even a strange interview process could not stop Phil Gary from coming home.
Gary, who has spent the last six seasons coaching basketball at Payton, was announced as the new boys basketball coach at Oak Park-River Forest on June 17. Gary, a 2007 OPRF graduate, led Payton to a Class 3A regional final in his first season as a varsity head coach.
“The day Maloney stepped down, my phone blew up like it did today,” Gary said with a laugh shortly after he was announced as the Huskies’ new coach.
He said the interview process was different from any he had experienced. Gary had to adjust as OPRF athletic director John Stelzer relied on phone conversations and Zoom conference calls. The coronavirus pandemic has changed many things, including hiring high school basketball coaches.
“It was interesting, weird, awkward, all of the above,” said Gary, an Oak Park resident. “Anything you could think of, it was that. It was the first Zoom interview I’d ever done. So it was interesting, but it’s something none of us can control right now. Definitely different.”
After graduating from OPRF, Gary played basketball at Malcolm X College, where he led all NJCAA programs in scoring (19 points per game) and assists (9.9) as a sophomore. He transferred to Florida International and was a team captain for coach Isiah Thomas.
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Gary was an assistant coach with OPRF during the 2013-14 season. He is also the basketball coordinator for the Park District of Oak Park.
Gary said he appreciates OPRF’s diversity and its quality athletic programs. The new coach plans to emphasize accountability.
“It’s the culture,” Gary said. “That’s what matters most, building the culture the right way. Letting kids have fun, remember they’re kids. That’s what I’ve taken from Payton. Building relationships with those kids, too, that’s something I learned a lot about at Payton.”
His message will be different for a program that grew used to sustained success in Maloney’s 12 years at the helm. The Huskies won 16 or more games in each of the past nine years with three regional titles.
Gary is excited to put his imprint on his hometown program.
“I think (my playing career) helps to connect with players,” Gary said. “Kids, especially these days, they’re quick to get on the internet to see what you’ve done lately. Having a good basketball background helps, but you still need to be showing them things aside from what you accomplished.”
Rich Mayor is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press