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Hoop Dreams

Yesterday evening after Compline, I went over to St. Michael’s Gymnasium to watch the  seminarian basketball team play their first scrimmage game against a local men’s team.  The seminarians have been practicing for a few months under the direction of Coach Skip Shear.  Skip has coached for several schools including, Northwest Missouri State, Southwest Baptist University, Davidson College, Indiana University, Appalachian State University and Drury College.  But, Skip said, “No where have I coached better basketball players than at Conception Seminary.”  Okay, Skip really didn’t say that.  Our seminary’s first goal is  to form and train men to become good priests (and basketball players second).  When I was Director of Admissions for the seminary, Skip would always ask me if any of the new guys could play basketball or were tall.  He just wanted me to recruit basketball players for his team.  Skip serves as the Director of Wellness at Conception Seminary College.  His task now is to bring the Conception Seminary  team to victory in the Mundelein Seminary Basketball Tournament.  Conception Seminary has won the tournament the past two years, and will try for the three-peat January 24-26.

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