Like father (in-law), like son

By JASON JUNO

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M ike Swartz and Gary Giancola both had the first-night jitters when the Hurley boys basketball team tipped off the season in Solon Springs.

"I remember it like it was yesterday," Swartz said.

It was a long time ago as it marked the start of the 2003-04 season when he was a sophomore playing in his first varsity game and Giancola was coaching his first varsity contest.

They lost that night, but it was just the start of their journey together toward hall of fame careers - Swartz for leading them to regional championships his junior and senior years and Giancola for winning two more regionals and a school-record 172 games in 11 seasons.

Some 21 years later, they're still making trips to Solon Springs together, even if their roles have evolved. Swartz is the coach with Giancola, now his father-in-law, helping him out after passing the baton to him in 2014.

Generally the trips to Solon aren't very remarkable now that their first varsity games have long passed. It's the longest conference road trip of the season, something to get done with.

This year's trip came last week. Giancola took the ride, as he often does, and it was a good win for Hurley. They rallied from a late deficit for a 47-43 victory.

Swartz also made history. It was his 172nd win at Hurley, the number Giancola finished at.

Three days later, the Northstars made the other long conference road trip, to Port Wing. It's also another memorable stop for Swartz - it's where he got his first coaching opportunity before starting at Hurley.

The Northstars didn't need a rally this time. They won easily, 70-34, for his 173rd victory, the most in Hurley history.

"To do it in South Shore where I started was kind of fitting I guess," he said. "It's a neat honor. It's not why I do it every day. I guess over time you do things right and you do things well, these things happen."

Swartz still considers Giancola a part of the team. He helps scout, Swartz bounces ideas off of him, and on Thursday night after the game, he was Swartz's hype man, telling the team what just happened.

"It's pretty humbling," Swartz said. "It's been a lot of fun with a lot of good players, a lot of good memories.

"I think the program's had a lot of success. It's because of the people behind the scenes supporting me - my wife (Alaina), Scott (Erickson), who's been with me the last eight, nine years, Gary as well. It's been a fun ride."

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Giancola wasn't worried about retiring after the 2013-14 season. He knew the program was in good hands with Swartz, who's already on track to join him in Hurley's Hall of Fame as a coach (he's already in as a player).

He's won at virtually the same pace as Giancola with Gary retiring with a 172-85 record and Mike leaving Solon Springs at 172-87.

Swartz has led the Northstars to three regional titles and the program's first trip to state since 1949.

"Mike kicked it up a notch, being able to take a team down to state," Giancola said of continuing the program's success. "Last time I checked, in the history of the school, Carl Vergamini and Mike Swartz were able to do that, so that's a hell of an accomplishment."

Giancola said he wishes he came after Swartz instead of before him because he's learned so much watching how he does it.

"He's a natural, he puts his heart and soul into it," Giancola said. "He gives it everything he's got. You'll never, ever find a coach more competitive with more preparation than Mike. Very impressed, very proud of him. Very proud to call him my son-in-law, proud to have coached him and proud to be 1-0 against him."

Gary lightheartedly pointed that out, and his slightly better winning percentage through 172 wins. But he was also quick to point out that Hurley had the better team the one time they played Mike's South Shore squad and his group outplayed them even if Hurley did get the win.

And he's thrilled that Hurley has continued to win with Swartz as the coach.

The two regional titles that Swartz and Giancola combined for as a player-coach combo in 2005 and 2006 were the first since Swartz's dad was on the team in 1979. The program wasn't this competitive again until Erickson started coaching in the late 1990s and Giancola and Swartz entered in 2003.

Swartz knew the game. He made everybody better, held teammates accountable. He was one of the best leaders Giancola coached. Sounds like a coach.

"The impact he's had as a player and a coach so far to this program at Hurley has been second to none," Giancola said. "It's been impressive. His passion and his knowledge of basketball and he knows how to apply it. That's the thing, a lot of guys know stuff, but try to teach it and apply it.

"The little stuff - how to shot fake, how to jump stop, how to rip it and go, how to come off a screen. That's what's separating him, the attention to detail. That's what puts him head and shoulders above everybody else."

Swartz said that's why he loves going to practice every day more than the games, because he gets to teach.

Early in his career, he thought about what he wanted Hurley to be known for. They didn't have it right away, but they do now.

"I like to think we're a team that's going to make you work to get every basket and a team that's going to grind you out and not beat yourself," Swartz said. "You're in for a fight every time you come to our place."

He's not afraid to adapt. This year's team is especially athletic and he's let them run more than any team in his career. Being able to score and defend in the half-court is always going to be important. They scored 41 points in the sectional final to get to state in 2022, even though they had the most explosive team of his tenure.

Giancola thinks that started back in Mike's playing days. That's how Giancola's teams won in their most successful seasons.

He wouldn't want to see anyone else coaching the Northstars. But as the record became sure to fall in the week leading up to it, Giancola had an offer.

"Did I offer him part of his inheritance to retire and move on to greener pastures and keep the record going?" Giancola quipped. "But he said 500 bucks and five deer mounts weren't going to be enough."

He's always got jokes. But he's always got support, too, and praise for Hurley's new all-time winningest coach.