A Goodman idea at Leyden

For 29 years Norm Goodman held court as boys head basketball coach at East Leyden in Franklin Park. On Friday, Feb. 6, all Leyden games in the Fieldhouse named after legendary wrestling coach Chuck Farina will be held on Goodman's court.

At halftime of the Eagles' game against Willowbrook, a dedication ceremony will be held as the basketball court will be officially named after Goodman, one of the legendary coaching figures in Illinois high school basketball.

Goodman came to Leyden in 1957 when it was still one high school. In 1961, he took over the East Leyden boys program and took it to amazing heights with a 548-185 record before retiring after the 1989-90 season, almost a decade after the East and West Leyden athletic programs were combined. Goodman's teams in the mid-70s won an incredible 108 straight regular-season games. He also coached players such as Glen Grunwald (played on Indiana's unbeaten 1976 NCAA champion and became an NBA executive), Tom Dore (became a Bulls TV broadcaster), Mike Griffin (started on Michigan's 1989 NCAA championship team) and Mike Shanahan (former Denver Broncos football coach).

Should be quite a celebration Feb. 6.