Simeon’s Boys Basketball Coaching Staff are McDonald’s All Americans
Chicago’s own Simeon Career Academy’s, 8147 S. Vincennes Ave., boys varsity basketball team’s coaching staff will coach the 2015 McDonald's All American® Basketball Games (McDAAG) Boys’ West Team. The 38th Annual McDonald’s All American Games will be held on April 1 at the United Center, 1901 W. Madison St.
“This is an honor, besides helping young men get to college, this is an accolade that you try to get to,” said Robert Smith, head coach of Simeon Career Academy. “Just like this is the players’ pinnacle, this is our pinnacle as a coach. It’s in our home town; being able to represent Chicago Public Schools (CPS), it just shows how much CPS and Chicago basketball has improved to have Simeon coaches being the coaches of the West team.”
Since 2004, Smith has led the Wolverines to six state championships (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013), nine sectional titles, three Chicago Public League Championships and over 300 wins.
Smith is joined by his assistant coaches, Leonard Thomas and Fred Sculfield. All three are lifelong Chicagoans and reside on the city’s South Side.
“In coaching this is something that you always dream of,” said Thomas. “This is something you hope you can do before your career ends. This is one of the higher achievements that you could ever have. In my 11 years at Simeon, I never thought I would get a chance to do this.”
“It’s a great experience to be here, I’m just happy to be here,” said Sculfield. “It’s like the kids, they were chosen as All Americans, we were chosen as their coaches, it’s a wonderful feeling and a great experience… I couldn’t explain it.”
Simeon Career Academy seems to breed McDonald's All Americans. Former state champions and NBA lottery picks, Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose and Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker, were selected as McDonald's All Americans in 2007 and 2013, respectively. This year, four of the 13 boys and girls McDonald's All Americans finalists from Chicago hail from Simeon.
To launch this year's festivities, all McDonald's All American players and coaches will visit the Ronald McDonald House® of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana, 211 E. Grand Ave.
The Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC) creates a home-away-from-home for families of children with complex medical needs. Every year, through its family-centered programs, like the Ronald McDonald House® and the Ronald McDonald Family Room®, RMHC provides stability and vital resources to more than 7 million children and families around the world. The McDonald's All American® Basketball Games functions as a fundraiser to The Ronald McDonald House Charities®.
“This is part of it being able to give back,” said Smith. “I’m blessed for what God has gave us with our health and strength so it’s great to come in these facilities and be to warm some people and embrace them through their struggles.”
“This is great to see something like this in your own backyard; I wish I’ve done it sooner seeing what I see now,” said Thomas. “This is something that I need to bring my kids down to see as well.”
Smith told the Chicago Citizen Newspaper that Simeon engages in philanthropic efforts at local churches during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons and he plans to expand those efforts.
The McDonald's All American® Basketball Games have helped raise more than $10 million for Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) Chapters through the United States. Since moving to Chicago, The McDonald's All American® Basketball Games generated nearly $1.7 million in proceeds for Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana (RMHC®-CNI). Funds from the 2011, 2012 and 2013 McDonald’s All American Games helped build the nation’s largest Ronald McDonald House® in downtown Chicago and currently supports its operations. The RMHC®-CNI Ronald McDonald House provides 86 guest rooms, and will provide over 31,000 family nights, saving families more than $7 million in hotel costs.
To learn more about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana visit http://rmhccni.org/.
To learn more about the McDonald’s All American Game visit http://www.mcdonaldsallamerican.com/aag/en/home.html.
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