Closing Rich East a ‘crusher’
Park Forest school leaves behind a strong legacy in athletics
Steve Stanicek celebrated his 40th high school reunion from Rich East onOct. 4with dozens of other proud alums at a local banquet facility.
Itwas a time to take a stroll downmemory lane and reflect on the marvelous times with former classmates, many of whomStanicek hadn’t seen since their 1979 graduation fromthe Park Forest staple.
“The people frommy era all have great memories of Rich East and Park Forest,” Stanicek said. “Rich Eastwas a great place to go to school. The people who have graduated fromthat school have done some special things.”
Stanicek is among those people. He played in the major leagues with the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies before becoming a baseball coach atHomewood-Flossmoor, Lockport and Glenbrook South.
His brother Pete, also a Rich East grad, played for the Baltimore Orioles.
Athletic success, however, extended beyond the Stanicek family.
During a 10-year career, Craig Hodgeswon twoNBA championships with the Bulls and three 3-point shooting contests.
Ryan Yarborough played in the NFL for theNewYork Jets, Green Bay Packers and Baltimore
Ravens.
Steve Fisherwon an NCAA men’s basketball championship in 1989 as Michigan’s coach.
That’s the tip of the iceberg fromRich East, which opened in 1952.
The school’s athletic history and tradition run long and deep, as does the pride in past and current Park Forest residents.
It’s a big reasonwhy therewas an outpouring of disbelief and sadness on Oct. 15 when the District 227 board voted 4-3 to close Rich East at the end of this school year.
There’s outrage, particularly fromalumni like Stanicek.
“It’s a crusher,” he said. “I heard the rumors, but I never thought itwould happen. It’s heartbreaking.”
It still might not happen if current residents have theirway.
QuincyWoods graduated from Rich East in 1995. He remains one of the most talented quarterbacks I’ve covered during my 30 years.
Itwasn’t often in the 1990s thatUSCwould recruit the Midwest, much less Park Forest. Woods attendedUSC. He attributed his development, not only on the football field but as a person, to Rich East and legendary coach Bob Lombardi.
“That school, because of its diversity, taught me howto get along with everybody,” Woods said. “Coach Lombardiwas the foundation for me and a lot of us. He taught us whatwas right and wrong. Rich East preparedme for life. It hurts my heart to hear it’s going to close.”
Woods is the offensive coordinator at Rich Central, which along with Rich South will remain open. District 227 is considering spending up to $105 million to repair, renovate and expand those two remaining schools.
Rich East students would consolidate into Rich Central and Rich South and form one athletic department. The ramifications of thatmove is fodder for another day.
The decision to close Rich Eastwas based on it being the oldest of the three schools and in need of the costliest repairs.
To me, however, being the oldest school is a reason Rich East should be one of the schools kept open.
Its hallways and campus are filled with examples that need to be told to the next generation.
“The success stories coming out of that school over the years are remarkable,” Stanicek said.
Enrollment has dropped to 2,900 students at the three schools— 30% over the past 10 years.
Still, Rich East’s history should be embraced and its campus preserved, not condemned.
“It’s a special place,” Woods said. “The people making this decision don’t knowthe history of Rich East.”
If they did, Rich East would remain open.