PHOTO BY BOB ROCHE
Mike Kmeic poses with “The Maz” award.
By KATIE MORRISON
LYNN — Lynn police officer and former Classical High basketball star Michael Kmiec has been a part of the Harry Agganis Basketball Tournament since middle school, playing in it and, more recently, as a referee.
His commitment to the success of “The Harry” was recognized this weekend. He was presented with the George K. Mazareas “Maz” Recognition Award during the 61st annual Agganis tournament.
The prize hits home for Kmiec. Established in 2006, it recognizes Mazareas, a Lynn native, who played for St. George Greek Orthodox Church on the Lynn Common. Mazareas later played for Tufts University before embarking on a career playing professionally for the Pan Hellenios team in Athens.
Mazareas was diagnosed with ALS, a progressive disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, in 2003 when he was in his early 40s.
The average life expectancy of a person diagnosed with ALS is two-to-five years, according to the ALS Association. But Mazareas still raises money for the association, and awaits a breakthrough.
Mazareas and his wife, Cynthia, joined former Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin, whose mother died of ALS, to establish the Sharon Timlin Memorial Race to Cure ALS, a road race in Hopkinton, among other ventures.
Kmiec knew Mazareas when he was growing up. They were members of St. George who played for the basketball team.
“We heard stories about him and got to see him play. He’s a calm, down-to-earth guy. He kind of got us to think the same way,” Kmiec said. “We were 18 or 19 at the time, and he was older and more mature and tried to get us to calm down. He wanted to teach us not only about basketball, but a little about life itself. I’ve always looked up to George for those reasons. He’s just a good guy.”
Kmiec, who also played basketball for Sacred Heart University in Hartford, has been a referee for the tournament for years, taking time off from playing to run the Boston Marathon, trying to avoid risking injury before the big race.
This year, he was on the court as a player and a referee, in the men’s division for St. George. He said the tournament is special to him.
“A lot of bonds that you build continue into your adult life,” Kmiec said. “It’s nice to be able to come back and give a little something back, because it gave a lot to us. I think basketball has always been, in Lynn and nationwide in the Greek community, something that has bonded us. It’s nice for the kids to be able to experience what we experienced.”
Mazareas was at the tournament to present the award to Kmiec this weekend.
“He’s one of those guys, who, he never complained about it, so it makes it kind of hard to complain about things in your life,” said Kmiec of Mazareas.
Katie Morrison can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @KatieMo61.
