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Community Corner

Meyers Finishes on High Note as Girls Hoops Coach

When a team has its most successful season ever and a coach pushes all the right buttons, there are usually a ton of awards and there is plenty of recognition to go around. This year the Oak Lawn girls basketball team set a record for wins in a season as it earned an overall record of 28-2, won the Oak Lawn Class 4A Regional Championship, won the Glenbard East Tournament and the Oak Lawn Holiday Tournament, won the South Suburban Conference Red title with a record of 12-1, and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history.

It was a season to remember for sure.

For head coach Janet Meyers, surely it will be a top memory as she was honored as the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association District 8 Co-Coach of the Year for the season the Spartans had. It is certainly a well-deserved honor for the veteran coach.

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“I was honored to be recognized by my peers for the success of my team this year,” Meyers said. “However, this award wasn’t just about me. I was lucky to have a great coaching staff and talented athletes that worked hard every day.”

Making it all the more memorable for Meyers, this concluded her final season at the helm of the girls basketball program as she stepped down following the season and some careful consideration.

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“It wasn’t an easy decision to make,” Meyers said. “Oak Lawn Girls Basketball has been my life for 18 years (3 years as assistant and 15 years as head coach) and the players have been like my daughters. But I have my own son now and I want to give him the same attention that I have given basketball all these years. There isn’t enough time in the day to be a good a mother and wife, a good teacher and a good head basketball coach. I know I will miss it, but it is time to move on to a new chapter of my life. I am looking forward to having the time and energy to spend with my son and husband. I hope to get back into coaching some day.” 

Meyers leaves an impressive list of accomplishments. She was the head coach for 15 years and earned a record of 257-151 (the most wins in school history). Her teams won regional championships in 2003, 2007, and 2014. They won conference titles in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, and 2014.

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