SPORTS I
Barry
Continued from preceding page
under a "win or else" situa-
tion at the Center.
Not that Bershad ignores
parents — far from it. He's
cultivated their support, get-
ting to know them through
their sons. "It's the parents
who have had to sacrifice at
times, to alter plans so their
kids can play, go on our
trips. I see the order of im-
portance for the boys as be-
ing school first, then pleas:
ing the parents, then
basketball. I've met a lot of
great people — parents —
through the years."
Bershad, who grew up in
northwest Detroit near
Roselawn and Seven Mile,
remembers several Jewish
Community Centers. "I
swam at Woodward as a
Bershad says kids' smiles are his reward.
baby; I was in the Monarchs
Club, taking a bus to Liver-
Meyers-Curtis, Center — he
nois for Dexter-Davison and
together, eating together,
now fields his teams at
I played on the 1960 basket-
everybody looking at you
Maple-Drake from more
ball team at Meyers and
because you look like a
than a half-dozen, including
Curtis."
team, it's really something
Oak Park, Southfield and
He loved basketball but
to remember," says Bershad,
Southfield-Lathrup, West
says he had no idea why he
who enjoys these "family"
Bloomfield, Birmingham
made that team. Never-
occasions as much as his
Seaholm, Andover, North
theless, after attending
players.
Farmington and Harrison,
Ferris State and then spen-
There have been humorous
and Cranbrook.
ding six months on active
times, too. Once, the entire
But what's helped him has
duty with the Army Reserve,
team was arrested in
been that some relatively
he returned to Detroit to find
Chicago for being out on the
good Jewish players on those
that Sam Cohen, then the
street at 10:10 p.m. "It was
high school squads have
Center's athletic director,
after curfew. I told the
been relegated to riding the
wanted him to coach the
parents about it and they
team benches.
JCC varsity team.
cracked up," says Bershad.
"With high school varsity
"I was only 21-22 years old
Another time, the team's
then. It was hard to tell your - team practices going 6 1/2
van ran out of gas at Or-
days a week, three hours a
peers what to do." But he
chard Lake Road and 1-696
day, it's drudgery to kids
managed, and today looks
on the way back from a
and they may get to hate it,"
with pride on the fact he's
tournament. "The kids all
says Bershad. His teams, by
coached 350 to 400
contrast, practice three days
youngsters, most of whom
"The ball," he tells
a week and "the kids who
have gone on to college. "I've
come to practice get to play."
probably coached more doc-
them, "doesn't
Besides, the kids get a feel-
tors and lawyers than
know how old you
ing of belonging and, he
anyone in the world."
are."
says, go home smiling and
In addition, his teams have
ready to do their homework.
won 75 percent of their
Playing for the Center, he
games, including 10 or 12
got out and pushed the van
believes, beats sitting in
area church league cham-
up the road, singing and
front of the television or get-
pionships and five Jewish
having a ball all the way."
ting into other, less prefer-
Welfare Board-sponsored
Last year, coming back
able, activities.
Midwest championships.
from Indianapolis, the trip
The friendships between
He's seen recruiting
was slowed by snow, so Ber-
coach and players and the
become more difficult. In-
shad, who substitute-teaches
pride in representing Detroit
stead of getting players from
for a Detroit school and-also
surface on road trips to tour-
just two schools — Mumford
works part-time in a law firm,
naments. "Staying in a hotel
and Henry Ford for the
insisted the players call their
parents.
Rich Kaczander, 39, who
played on the 1965-67 Ber-
shad varsity teams, says the
coach never had trouble with
the boys. "He never kept a
tight rein on us, but always
knew where we were. When
he said something, okay,
that was it." Kaczander said
his son Eric will be playing
for Bershad's junior varsity
squad this year.
Twenty years or so ago,
says Bershad, the mood of
the country was more inno-
cent. But today, "society dic-
tates that one or two parents
go with me on the trips. I feel
Hairstyles have changed radically through Bershad's years.
.
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1989
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