Steve Lavin (; Anthony J. Causi)
IN HIS BLOOD: St. John’s coach Steve Lavin took a trip home last night as his team lost 81-65 to San Francisco last night. Lavin’s father, Cappy, honored at halftime and flanked by his two nieces, starred there in the 1950’s. (Stephen Lam; Antohny J. Causi (right))
SAN FRANCISCO — There have been moments — call them teaching moments, coaching moments, parenting moments — that have been seen and unseen which have served as the backbone for this 6-3 start for St. John’s.
We were not privy to coach Steve Lavin’s parental-like sit-down with star guard D’Angelo Harrison after he was 10 minutes late for the team bus before a game in the Charleston Classic, or when he accompanied guard Phil Greene to Chicago for the funeral of his childhood friend who has been senselessly shot dead.
We were there to see Lavin reassure freshman JaKarr Sampson, after his disappointing college debut, and there to see him drape his arms over the shoulders of freshman Christian Jones after took an ill-advised shot.
Lavin doesn’t wear one of those rubber wrist bracelets bearing an acronym but if he did the letters would read: WWCD — What Would Cappy Do?
Cappy Lavin, Steve’s father is a Marin County scholar/basketball legend, the author of 19 books, co-founder of the Bay Area Writing Project at UC-Berkley, a husband to his wife Mary for 62 years, a father to six children, a prostate cancer survivor, a heart attack survivor and a member of the University of San Francisco Hall of Fame, the school St. John’s lost to 81-65 last night in a bittersweet homecoming for the Red Storm coach.
“We let him down,’’ Harrison said. “Big time.’’
Cappy’s health has been failing of late and Lavin knows any chance he gets to come home and be with his father, 82, is to be treasured. The Dons 1949 NIT Championship team and its 1955 and ’56 NCAA title teams were honored at halftime. Cappy, flanked by two of his nieces, was a star guard in the early ’50’s.
“There have been times when I’ve spoken to my father and he’s questioned if was a good father to me and brothers and sisters, or if he had a positive impact on others and I’ve thought to myself, ‘Are you kidding me?!’’’ Lavin told The Post last week at a quiet lunch in Soho prior to the Red Storm’s 57-49 win over NJIT.
“I think about my father’s passions — being a husband and father, teaching, a burning desire to learn to question, a compassion for all people, art, basketball — and it makes sense why I went into coaching.’’
Lavin went into coaching to teach and to remain close to the game be grew up on. When other family’s had traditional Thanksgiving Day tag football games, the Lavins played basketball — until Cappy decided to take down the rim in the back of the house.
“Too many lost teeth,’’ said Lavin, 48, who as the baby of the family was too young to throw elbows with older brothers John, Mark and Ken.
What Steve Lavin had was microscopic view of what it meant to be a husband, father, teacher, coach. His five older siblings were born six years apart. His father, when he wasn’t winning free-throw contests in gyms and schoolyards throughout Marin County, was teaching, writing, learning.
As a combo guard at Sir Francis Drake High, Lavin’s teams his junior and senior seasons went 77-1 winning back-to-back league titles. His coach, Peter Hayward, was a man before this time. He ran summer camps for youngsters, using his players as counselors and coaches.
Lavin learned to play the game and teach the game. He learned that not all teams win 77 of 78 games. He learned the relationships — player to coach, player to player — were to be cherished.
If children are a parent’s legacy, than Cappy and Mary Lavin, have reason to be proud. Their youngest child is passing on the legacy, teaching, coaching, mentoring.
“Coaching for me combines all of my life experiences,’’ Lavin said. “You want to build something, build a special team like the one I was apart of, build the trust of your players. It’s a sacred thing. You hope, as a coach, in some small way, you hope you impact players in some positive way. And if you do, those are the ties the bind, the real trophies you keep with you.’’