Scott Markovich turned a metal lunchbox symbolizing the work ethic of his Western Pennsylvania roots into a trophy to motivate a struggling youth basketball team this year.
As a coach in the Guilford Basketball League in Connecticut, he was trying to nudge a team stalled early this season at 5-5 by awarding the trophy lunchbox to the player who worked the hardest each week.
It worked.
“I told them about my grandfather working in a coal mine and carrying a similar lunchbox,” said the 1992 graduate of Greater Latrobe High School. “I told them they needed to dig deep and start working hard. They just responded so well. We went into another winning season.”
Markovich, 41, was recognized by a national nonprofit for the positive impact he has made as a coach of young athletes. He was among 50 awarded the Double-Goal Coach Award by the Positive Coaching Alliance. Nearly 2,500 candidates were nominated for the award.
“We are just so honored that he was nominated, and proud that he won — (a) hometown boy,” said his mother, Elaine. She and his father, Richard, live in Unity.
As the father of two sons, Logan, 13, and Caden, 11, Markovich has coached youth sports for five years. Aware of how impressionable his young players are, he has developed a play list of principles he easily recites.
“First, we honor the game: we play fair, hard, do our best and have fun. Be a good person — be respectful, and do the right thing. Take responsibility for your actions. Play, win or lose, as a team. Last, your attitude — 90 percent of your performance before a game even starts is the attitude you walk into the gym with.”
Those principles, along with seeing him in action while coaching her son, led Bernadette LaFrance to nominate Markovich for the national award.
At LaFrance's son's first practice, Markovich told the players about a local girl fighting cancer. And he persuaded the boys to dance in a video, challenge other teams to do the same and contribute to a fund on her behalf if they wished.
Markovich credited his wife, Brandy, for the idea.
“To use the vehicle of this sports team to raise money for a peer of theirs ... you can't teach that, other than by a direct example,” LaFrance said.
Parents, players and a former coach wrote nominating letters for the award.
Markovich said among the most touching were his players' comments.
“He never gives up on us, and if we are not playing good and giving up on ourselves, he won't let us. He keeps us in the game and encourages us to keep trying,” one wrote.
James R. Okonak, Markovich's youth soccer coach and friend who helped his former player establish the Richard J. Markovich Scholarship Award at Greater Latrobe in honor of his father — provided this tribute:
“Scott's positive, ‘can do' enthusiastic attitude is very contagious. ... Of significance, however, is that, win or lose, he positively moves people to recognize that the successes of the playing field of life and how you navigate it is what is of utmost importance — the true reflection of the game.”
Markovich will receive his award, including $200 and a certificate, on Monday in a ceremony at Guilford High School.
Mary Pickels is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-836-5401 or mpickels@tribweb.com.
