ITEM PHOTO BY STEVE KRAUSE
From left: Wayne Hanscom, Marblehead; Steve Stranahan, friend of Mike Carr and Tom Grassa of Lynn Classical gather for a picture.
By STEVE KRAUSE
DANVERS — His best friend said Mike Carr was the toughest person he ever knew, but that this toughness didn’t include the ability to speak before people.
“He was tough,” said Steve Stranahan, who accepted the James Young Courage Award presented by Board 130 of the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials on Carr’s behalf Tuesday night at Danversport Yacht Club.
Carr, who was struck ill a year ago, rallied from life-threatening sickness to resume coaching the English boys basketball team in December, and did not miss a game until he was forced to go into the hospital in January. He died Jan. 27.
In all that time, Stranahan said, “he never thought about not coaching. He had three things that were important in his life: his wife and kids, his family and basketball.
“I’d be wanting to know how he was feeling, and he’d be wanting to know how the kids were doing, and what we should do about this or that. He was 100 percent dedicated to the kids he coached.
“But he wasn’t one for speaking before people,” said Stranahan. “He couldn’t do what I’m doing now. He was a man of few words.”
Stranahan took over once Carr became too sick to coach, and he eventually finished out the year on the Bulldogs’ bench — helping lead them to a spot in the Division 1 North MIAA tournament.
With Stranahan Tuesday were Carr’s mother, Jeanne; and his children, Rachael and Michael.
Also honored by the board were Classical boys coach Tom Grassa, Marblehead girls coach Wayne Hanscom and sub-varsity referee Steve Almquist from Saugus.
Grassa received the Robert S. Pierce Award for the boys coach of the year. He has been coaching at Classical for 31 years, and helped lead the Rams to the Division 2 North final before losing to eventual state champion Brighton.
“I never saw it as 5-on-7,” said Grassa. “Referees don’t help win games, and they don’t help lose games.”
Regarding the recently-completed season, Grassa said it was “a terrific season.
“In the beginning, we didn’t think we’d end up with the record we did,” he said. “But as it wore along, toward about the halfway point, we realized we had the talent. The kids believed in themselves. Then, it wasn’t just about having a good season. It was about having a championship-caliber team.”
Grassa is the third coach from Classical to win the Pierce Award, joining Herb Brenner, who won the first one; and Lou Falkoff, who won it when he retired.
Hanscom won the John Squires Sr. Award for the girls coach of the year. He is unique among award winners in that he also won the Pierce award when coached at Salem.
Hanscom used the opportunity to thank his longtime assistant, David Byner, who has been with him on various benches for his entire coaching career.
“He’s been with me since Day One,” Hanscom said.
Almquist, who is also the Saugus High softball coach, could not make it to the dinner, as bad weather has forced spring baseball and softball teams indoors, and the Sachems had the gym Tuesday night.
He received the Robert A. Gallagher Award for sub-varsity officials.
Other award winners were Madison Napoli, Amesbury, Roger Alley Award for girls player of the year; Patrick Gavin, Beverly, Edward “Gint” Middleton award for boys player of the year; Hoops for Hope, the IAABO Board 130 President’s Award; Andrew Selima of St. John’s Prep and Mary Erb, Masconomet, the Larry McIntire IAABO Board 130 Classic scholarship winners; Eric Dawes of Amesbury, who also won the Young Courage Award; and Al Naffah, also a Gallagher Award winner.
Dan Cargill received the John J. Mulkern Award; and Dick Taylor the Charles S. Cook Award.
