It’s no secret that Ken Novak Jr. is a talented coach. Last year, ESPN RISE named Novak as its boys basketball coach of the year for leading Hopkins to an unprecedented third state championship in a row.
What was a secret was the banquet in his honor Monday. Chad Boger—who played for both Ken Novak Jr. and Ken Novak Sr., the Royals boys basketball coach from 1954 to 1983—organized the event, invited alumni to the banquet and collected their thoughts on the coach.
Then several Novak alumni met the coach for a round of golf at —after which friends, family and players surprised him with an awards ceremony to honor the coach for his guidance over the years.
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Thoughts on Coach Ken Novak Jr.
Boger shared these comments on Novak from his players. Names were not included. Do you have a memory of Novak that you'd like to share—on or off the court? Feel free to share it in the comments.
- Congratulations Coach on winning the ESPN Boys National Coach of the year! Everyone in the Hopkins basketball family is very proud of you and thankful to have been with you on this journey. ESPN must have noticed -- as we've all been witness to -- your accomplishments of a 660-121 record over your 29-year career and a 542-74 record and 6 titles at Hopkins. It is evident to ESPN, and anyone else who pays attention, that you have created a dominant program, unparalleled by any program in state history. However, ESPN does not have the privilege to know your true impact on the lives of your players. You still affectionately receive the title "Coach", not just because you taught us the perfect bounce pass or the finer points of a motion offense. You continue to receive our respect because you were able to both teach basketball and connect it to the lessons of life: enjoy the journey, respect the game, respect your teammates, work hard, play with passion, poise and intensity, pay attention to details, and most importantly -- play together. We knew you cared about us beyond the basketball court, and we worked hard to make you proud. You taught us that we need to surround ourselves with people we wanted to become, so we surrounded ourselves with you and Hopkins basketball players. We appreciate you opening the gym before school and at nights and even on Saturdays. We appreciate you being a role model and sometimes a father figure. Thank you for giving us your passion and for giving us your love. You deserve this award for all the things they know and can't know. Congratulations Coach!
- Playing for Coach and the system he created taught me that hard work pays off.
- Coach taught me that to be successful you have to work together as one.
- I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have him as my coach.
- Without question, outside of my parents, Coach Novak has been the most influential person in my life.
- He taught me to surround myself with the people I want to become.
- The world knows that you love he game of basketball; your players know it is so much more than that for you. I've thought about Coach's (analogies) a lot throughout my life, and they have helped me persevere.
- He took me aside and told me I took shortcuts, and he was worried that I would take shortcuts my entire life. He taught me that good things would happen if I went after them hard.
- It was evident that Coach cared about me as a person, not just a basketball player, and for that, I will be forever grateful.
- Without question, Coach has been the most influential man in my life. The example he sets and the patience he possesses is something I strive for in my own life. Coach, thanks for always being there for me.
- Playing for coach and the system he created taught me that hard work pays off.
- Coach taught me that to be successful you have to work together as one.
- I’m the luckiest guy in the world to have him as my coach.
- Without question, outside of my parents, Coach Novak has been the most influential person in my life.
- He taught me to surround myself with the people I wanted to become.
- The world knows you love the game of basketball, your players know that it is so much more than that for you! Thank you.
- I’ve thought of coach’s (analogy) of the water hitting the rock a lot throughout my life. while the water doesn’t seem to affect the rock , over time it does. I’ve thought about that a lot throughout my life.
- He took me aside and told me that I take shortcuts on the court and he was worried I would take shortcuts my entire life. He taught that me good things would happen if I went after them hard.
- It was evident that Coach cared about me as a person, not just a basketball player, and for that, I will be forever grateful.
