Boys prep basketball: Sveda humbled, excited about promotion
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The Du Quoin Community Unit School District #300 Board of Education Monday night officially named Gabe Sveda new boys varsity basketball coach.
Sveda, 30, is in his fifth year as a mathematics instructor at the high school and has assisted with both the football and basketball programs since coming to Du Quoin in the fall of 2005.
"The position was posted internally and followed all of the terms of the current teacher contract," District #300 Superintendent Dr. Gary Kelly said. "We really feel like this will grow into a long-term relationship. Gabe is entrenched here as a teacher and coach and is so respected by everyone. The past few years we gave him the chance to work directly under Mike Crews to learn the in's and out's of being a head coach. We just didn't feel at all like we needed to look elsewhere for a head coach. The best candidate was Gabe Sveda and we are just so happy he's agreed to take over."
Holding degrees from Rend Lake College and Murray State University, Sveda began his teaching and coaching career during the spring 2002 semester at Livingston County High School in Smithland, Ky.
From there he moved to Webber Township High School, teaching math while coaching basketball and baseball.
"I am just very excited and thankful for this opportunity," Sveda said. "The board of education and the people of Du Quoin have shown a lot of confidence in me. I am just so thankful for that support. This is a challenge and opportunity that I am looking so very forward to."
Sveda replaces the veteran Crews, who retired last month after 41 years in coaching. He worked as the top varsity assistant while guiding the freshman squad (three years) and the sophomores this past season.
In football, Sveda assists primarily with the freshman and sophomore teams while working in the booth during varsity games.
"I have been fortunate enough to play and work under some great coaches," Sveda said. "I have learned so much from coach Crews these past four years. At Webber, Clarence Gross was just a great guy to work with. Mike Johnson taught me so much at Livingston County and Al Martin is just a great leader here and so good with kids. What I've learned from coach Martin really can't be taught. My years with football here have been invaluable and I plan for that to continue."
As a prep at Christopher, Sveda was a starting guard in basketball for current Du Quoin administrator Jeff Gossett and quarterbacked under former Indians' coach John Kretz.
"Gabe will surprise a lot of people with how well he's going to do as a varsity head coach," Gossett said. "He gets along really well with the kids and is just an excellent teacher in the classroom and on the basketball floor. We are just so lucky to have him here."
Sveda lives in rural Mulkeytown with wife Alechia. The couple has two sons, Collin (6) and Landon (2). He knows expectations always run high for Du Quoin athletics. Basketball is certainly no exception.
The Indians return River-to-River All-Conference guard J.C. Davis and top reserve Sam Gossett from this past season's 25-7 squad. A tremendous senior class graduates, but the Indians welcome a talented crop of newcomers who swept to Mississippi Division titles at the junior varsity and freshman levels. Gossett, James Williams and Seth Baxter all scored in double digits for the jayvees while seeing spot duty at the varsity level.
"I am starting with a great group of young people. These are all -around good kids," Sveda said. "Hard-working kids in sports and the classroom. They are true student-athletes and so full of enthusiasm. That's something I really like. Our kids expect to win here in all sports."
Sveda plans to meet with players a "few times" before school dismisses May 19, He's already in the process of finalizing summer open gym, camp and game schedules for the program.
"The kids are all involved now with spring sports and we will wait until after those play out before doing anything formally," he said. "Once summer hits, we'll get to work. We have some big shoes to fill."
Sveda becomes the 28th coach in Du Quoin's basketball history, which dates back to 1910 and boasts in excess of 1,300 all-time victories.
"Starting out as a head coach in such an envied athletic school is with such a storied tradition like Du Quoin is something that doesn't come around very often," Sveda said. "Its a great responsbility and challenge. But its one I feel ready to take on."