Boys basketball: Family reasons behind Tanaka's decision

Scott Tanaka was faced with a very difficult decision.

But when you consider the overriding factor, the decision was “a no-brainer.”

Tanaka recently resigned as boys basketball coach at Minooka and was hired as the girls basketball coach at Hinsdale South in Darien.

This is different than most coaching changes, however, because Tanaka, who has an excellent reputation in the classroom, will continue as a mathematics teacher at Minooka.

Meanwhile, he lives in Downers Grove and has a 7-year-old son, Kaelen, who “is my absolute world.”

Tanaka said he has joint custody of his son, who also lives in Downers Grove. Tanaka’s house is five to 10 minutes away from Hinsdale South and 40 to 45 minutes from Minooka.

“Over the last couple of years, I lost so much potential time with my son in the summer and during the season,” Tanaka said. “This was really a difficult decision, and it was strictly a family decision.”

Tanaka talked with Hinsdale South athletic director Art Ostrow about the girls’ coaching job.

“He made me feel unbelievably comfortable,” Tanaka said. “It was a decision I thought long and hard about. I wanted to continue coaching, and at the same time, I wanted to be the best father I can be.”

Ray Liberatore, a longtime football coach in the Minooka program and the girls head basketball coach for 25 years, also talked with Tanaka about switching from coaching boys to coaching girls.

“When Scott was thinking about making the move, we had some nice conversations,” Liberatore said. “I did not want to deter him from coaching girls at all.”

“Tony Lavorato, the Maine South [boys] coach, had a daughter in the program at Hinsdale South,” Tanaka said. “He is someone I reached out to.”

Tanaka had been Minooka’s boys coach for 10 seasons. The Indians surpassed 20 victories three times under his guidance, going 20-10 in 2011-12, 23-9 in 2015-16 and 21-9 in 2016-17. The Indians won a Class 4A regional in 2016.

“A positive for me was building the Minooka program to a point where it is recognized in the area and beyond as a program people know,” Tanaka said. “I’m proud that it’s recognizable, and I’m leaving the Minooka program at a point where growth and success can be counted on to continue.”

Tanaka does some summer coaching at the Bulls-Sox Academy in Lisle.

“It’s my love for basketball,” he said. “I’m coaching a sixth-grade team right now. I loved coaching the Minooka boys, but at the end, the decision was a no-brainer for family reasons.”

“We really appreciate the hard work Scott put in here and the success he had,” Minooka athletic director Bob Tyrell said, adding that he hopes to have a recommendation for a replacement by the July school board meeting. Meanwhile, Tanaka’s assistants are handling the Indians’ summer program.