For a change, the usual good-natured (we believe) cuts on one another and the dogging of each other weren’t the story of the day Saturday at the 7th Joe Divico Coaches Brunch at the Cumberland Holiday Inn, although DeMatha’s Mike Jones once again came away as the Outstanding Player in this department (this guy needs to go on tour, he really does). And whatever good-natured (we believe) cuts there were, none of them were directed toward the man who was sitting in the next-to-last chair on the left side of the dais. For on Saturday, the ACIT coaches, fans, and Wamba Caravan 89 came not to good-naturedly bury Jim Yerkovich, but to wholeheartedly and sincerely praise him.
And to say thank you. And goodbye.
Jim Yerkovich’s 44-year coaching career at Salt Lake City’s Judge Memorial came to a close last night in the consolation championship game of the 50th Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament as the Utah legend announced his retirement earlier this month after the Bulldogs had played in yet another state championship game.
Yerkovich was the recipient of several standing ovations on Saturday, and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to see he was clearly moved by the warmth he says he and the rest of the Judge community have come to expect from Cumberland, but continue to be marveled by.
“The ACIT is so special because of the people,” said Yerkovich. “We’ve had some success on the court. We reached the championship game, and we’ve finished third twice. Those were big moments for us. But never anything as big as bringing almost entirely new people here every time, who were endeared by your community. You took them in and made them feel welcome and loved.
“Our first visit here in 1980 was a life experience for us. We came here for the first one, I prayed for the second one, and now this is 13. It’s the last for me, but for Judge I hope many more.”
ACIT general chairman Joe Carter presented Yerkovich with a gold plaque displaying the coach’s likeness and a personal inscription that concluded, “Jim, you have always spoken about the ‘we’ approach, which has been your coaching trademark that you have instilled in your players for 44 years. However, it is ‘we’, the members of Wamba Caravan No. 89, who have been touched by your dignity, values and friendship.
“Jim, thank you for the honor of allowing the ACIT to be a part of the final game that you will coach at Judge Memorial. More importantly, thank you for being our friend.
“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our Golden Anniversary.”
In his remarks, amidst the sound of stone silence Yerkovich spoke fondly and emotionally of his two friends named Joe: the late founder and general chairman of the ACIT Joe Divico, and the current general chairman Joe Carter.
“I’m a devine providence person,” he said, “and I believe God went from Joe (Divico) to Joe (Carter) to be in charge of this tournament. You rallied around Joe Divico and you are for Joe Carter. I saw this at the luncheon yesterday during the slide show when (Carter’s) picture was on the screen. You all stood up and cheered your leader and you rally around him for the good of your cause.
“This is another human story.”
After 44 years and some recent health concerns, Yerkovich says he no longer has the energy to provide his players with all they need from their coach. It’s not that he’s tired of coaching, he just believes the time is right for somebody else to guide the way — that somebody else being Dan Del Porto, a former Yerkovich player and an assistant coach for the last 23 years.
Yerkovich has won every game you can win and every championship banner you can hang. He coached the West team in the 1981 McDonald's All-America game that lost 96-95 to Michael Jordan’s East team. He was selected to coach the 1989 Utah AAU select team that beat a touring Soviet Union national team, 104-85, and earned dozens of honors, including the Utah Sports Professional of the Year at the Utah Chapter MS Dinner of Champions.
He has been on television, he goes to coaching clinics the world over. He wrote the book, “We, a Model for Coaching and Christian Living,” that is used as a resource in more than 800 Catholic schools around the country. And he’s taken his message throughout the country, speaking at the National Catholic Education Association's annual meetings several times with his well-known “basketball is a classroom for values” mantra.
And, oh yes, he’s managed to come see us ... 13 wonderful times.
“What will I miss the most?” Yerkovich asked the attentive audience. “Being called coach.
“To be called coach is such an honor. In a school there is one title that is universal: Coach. Being a coach is a large challenge, because we are touching and influencing lives.
“For my coaching career to end here with you ... I love you, and you love us. You have shown that. I’m just very sorry Joe Divico isn’t here. But his presence is always here. You can feel it, and you’ve always been able to.”
Mike Burke is sports editor of the Cumberland Times-News. Write to him at mburke@times-news.com
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