Prep notes: Sobocinski returning to Hodgson sideline

Ed Sobocinski, shown here during a game in 2013, is returning as Hodgson’s boys basketball coach after a two-year hiatus.

Ed Sobocinski missed everyone calling him “coach” throughout school at Hodgson Vo-Tech.

So after a two-year hiatus, the 44-year-old is returning as the Silver Eagles’ boys basketball coach.

Sobocinski, a Social Studies teacher at Hodgson for the past 15 years, stepped away from coaching to spend more time with his young family. He and his wife, Lauren, have a 7-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter, and Sobocinski said they made some adjustments to allow him to return.

“I really missed the challenge of getting kids to buy into something bigger than themselves,” Sobocinski said Monday. “That is something I love. Teaching a culture of family.”

Hodgson was a perennial state title contender during Sobocinski’s first coaching stint from 2005-14, winning at least one DIAA tournament game every year and reaching the state semifinals four times.

The Silver Eagles struggled without him, going 9-12 and losing in the first round of the state tournament two years ago, then forfeiting their first five games due to an ineligible player on the way to a 5-15 finish last season. Sobocinski built a strong network of fans and former players who supported his teams, and he hopes to rekindle that.

“There’s a history of Hodgson players that all contact each other,” he said. “So a kid who played 10 years ago still communicates with a kid who played five years ago. It’s an incredible family. I don’t know if every high school is like that, but I’m kind of in the middle of all of those kids. It’s a strong group of alumni for our players.”

He also looks forward to reuniting with longtime assistant coach Craig Browning.

“We’re tight like brothers, and now we get to spend four months together every day, talking basketball and trying to build our family again,” Sobocinski said.

Stan Waterman Court

The next time the Sanford boys basketball team takes the floor at the Sanford Sports Center, they will be playing on a court named in honor of their head coach.

Stan Waterman Court will be christened at 4 p.m. Saturday as part of the school’s homecoming festivities. A reception will follow in the Geipel Center for Performing Arts.

“That’s really special to me,” Waterman said Tuesday. “When Mark Anderson, our head of school, first approached me with the idea last spring, I was stunned. I said, ‘This is an honor or recognition that is usually reserved for a legend that has passed on or retired, and I’m not ready to do either one yet.’ It was shocking, but certainly appreciated.”

Waterman, a former Howard High and University of Delaware point guard, has spent 25 years coaching the Warriors, racking up a 486-124 record, six state championships and 23 Independent Conference titles.

In addition, the school has established the Stan Waterman Endowed Fund for Excellence in Coaching, which will be used annually to recognize an exceptional Sanford coach with a monetary award. To support the fund, contact Assistant Director of Development Amy Shirley at (302) 235-6510 or shirleya@sanfordschool.org.

Rounding it up

— The Delaware State University men’s basketball team will hold a free clinic to teach fundamentals from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at PAL of Wilmington, 3707 N. Market St. Boys and girls players and teams from grades 4-12 are invited. For more information, call Mark Sills at (302) 389-8558 or email marksills3603@comcast.net.

— This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first Middletown-Salesianum football game. To celebrate the rivalry, members of the 1966 Middletown team will be recognized on the field at Cavaliers Stadium before kickoff of this year’s game at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7. Former players will meet in front of the stadium for a pregame reunion at 5:30. For more information, contact Jim Reynolds at (302) 293-9709.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ.