FRANK HOOD Class of January 1958 INDUCTED 2017

FRANK HOOD
Class of January 1958
INDUCTED 2017

“I guess that the bottom line is that I really enjoyed the teaching, coaching, parenting and the marriage partnership. I do not believe that anyone could have had the tremendous opportunities or any more rewarding experiences. Yes, it was a lot of work! But there are a lot of young men and women who have had the opportunities to experience valuable adventures, an advanced educational opportunity, outstanding occupationally successful lives and great life experiences to share with the extended world.” – Frank Hood

Frank Hood Graduated from Steinmetz High School, in January 1958 with good grades and honors resulting in the high success in college. He earned a B.S in Education, a Master’s Degree in Administration and earned forty-five plus graduate credits beyond the Masters with a major in Mathematics, Physical Education, Biological Sciences, Driver Education and Health. At Steinmetz Hood played quarterback on the football team, a guard on the basketball team and center-field on the baseball team, and he loved every minute of it.

He learned to compete and not be satisfied with mediocrity.

Mr. Hood has an extensive coaching career with the Chicago Public League, and currently holds the honor of the “winningest” head varsity boys’ basketball coach in the history of the Chicago Public League. He was inducted into the Chicago Public League Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and Taft High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame and has received numerous awards, including several Coach of the Year Awards through his career. He is a lifetime board member on the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association.

Frank Coached 12 years of excellent play winning over 250 games coaching Taft girls fast pitch softball, playing in 3 Illinois State Elite Eight Illinois High School Association final tournaments, playing in 9 CPL Champion series, winning 3 CPL Championships.
Started CPL softball clinics for the CPL coaches.

Hood was the basketball varsity coach at Von Steuben High School and Taft High School in Chicago. As the varsity basketball coach, he was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the Chicago Public League Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Taft High School Association Hall of Fame. As the varsity head coach of the girl’s fast pitch softball team at Taft High School our 1986 City Championship team was inducted, all the players and the coach, into the Taft High School Hall of Fame.

His most proud accomplishments concerning basketball are:

  1. Starting the Chicago Public League Basketball Coaches Association: the second largest such association in the State of Illinois.
  2. Started the CPLBCA Hall of Fame, taking the responsibility of establishing the selection process for inducted members, many great individuals have been inducted.
  3. Initiated a Public League Basketball All City Banquet, for both boys and girls-all four years of student attendance, with awards for at least B grade maintenance and senior trophies for maintaining the B average. All basketball students were invited to the banquet. We also gave financial scholarships to the top boy and girl academically.
  4. Initiated basketball clinics for the coaches in the CPL; both boy and girl coaches.
    also had a clinic for scorers and timers.
  5. Established all-star games for graduating seniors with the purpose of honoring the seniors and also providing the opportunity to play before college coaches; providing possible scholarships.
  6. He is the winningest boys’ varsity basketball coach in the history of the CPL.
  7. He was selected for the Sun-Times All Area Board for the selection of an All Area Basketball Team each season.
  8. He worked on the All City CPL Basketball Board for about fifteen years.
  9. Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Board member.
  10. Cook County Commissioner’s Board for Youth Development.

Hood’s most significant contributions in coaching the Taft High School girls fast pitch softball were

  1. Twelve years of excellent play winning over 250 games.
  2. Three Illinois High School Association State Softball Tournament Elite Eight appearances
  3. Nine CPL Champion series.
  4. Winning Three CPL Championships.
  5. The dedication of the girls through constant work.
  6. The Illinois State Legislature passed a Resolution honoring the 1992 softball team.
  7. Hood organized softball clinics for the CPL coaches.

Frank Has also received many Commendations by some well-known individuals in Sports and Athletics:

  1. Jerry Krause, Former Vice President and General Manager and Basketball Hall of Fame architect of the Six-Time NBA Champion Chicago Bulls.
  2. Steve Fisher Head Men’s Basketball Coach for the NCAA National Champion University of Michigan Wolverines and San Diego State Aztecs.
  3. Rich Falk Former Head Basketball Coach of the Northwestern University Wildcats and the former Assistant Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference.
  4. Bob Hallberg Former Men’s Basketball Coach for the Chicago State University Cougars and University of Illinois-Chicago Flames. Currently Women’s Basketball Coach and Athletics Director at St. Xavier University Chicago
  5. Jim Molinari the former head coach for The Bradley University Braves and Northern Illinois University Huskies
  6. Dr. John Gianopulos was a chief administrator in the City Colleges of Chicago.
  7. Joey Meyer was the Head Men’s Basketball coach for the Nationally Ranked DePaul University Blue Demons. He often lectured at the CPL coach’s clinics that Hood organized and chaired.