Healy back at the helm for WWS basketball

WHEATON – When Mike Healy stepped away from Wheaton Warrenville South's boys basketball program after the 2011 season to focus on his athletic director duties, he left the door open to a possible return to coaching.

Now, three years later, Healy is back on the Tigers' sidelines after the school board approved him as the replacement for Bob Szorc last week.

"I just missed it," said Healy, who will continue in his role as AD. "I missed the kids, I missed being in the gym, I missed all parts of it.

"Quite honestly, as much as you miss [games on] Friday and Saturday, I missed Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday [practices] even more. I missed being around kids and basketball is the perfect number of kids to build relationships with. With being the AD, most of your day is dealing with adults."

Szorc resigned after three seasons at the helm, leaving an opportunity that was too good for Healy to pass up.

"Being as young as he [Szorc] was, I was hoping that was the last basketball hire I would make in my career," Healy said. "But when Bob stepped down, if I ever wanted to get back into it, this might be the last chance I had."

And though the final win-loss record might not show it, Szorc did some very good things for the program.

"He did a great job," Healy said. "The feeder program is in a better place and our skill set is fine. I'm very simple so we will probably head back to what we did three years ago. But the skills Bob taught to the team and our feeder system should help me get going again."

One thing helping the transition will be Healy's familiarity with the kids in the program, which includes his oldest son Nick, who will be a senior next fall.

"I'll have three boys in the building next year," said Healy, who will get started with summer camp on June 11. "I'm pretty familiar with most of the kids and their parents."

There will have to be some balancing done with Healy again pulling double duties, but he said the extra time will fall on him.

"I did it for two years and I think it can work," he said. "It will be my extra time, it shouldn't affect anybody else."

Healy, whose first stint as the varsity coach lasted nine years, is excited for round two.

"Coaches have the ability to have such an impact on kids and that's what I'm excited about," Healy said.