So, I’m told it’s this Christmas thing and the stories should be positive wherever possible. Sure. Why not?
A fairly extensive story on John DeGroat’s hard road. Read it all. As a personal aside, the wife is a Juvi. Court Magistrate and comes home far too often with stories that will never have a happy ending. It’s nice to read one like this.
DeGroat also has an extended family at the Abbott House, a social service agency in New York that helps place children with foster families. After his problems at the group home in Yonkers, DeGroat had a short stay at the Abbott House, which placed him with the Macks.
The Abbott House brought about 30 of its children on a field trip to Pitt Dec. 10 to watch DeGroat play against Penn State. DeGroat tied his career-high with 11 points that day and visited with the children afterward. The Abbott House has decorated a wall with pictures and articles about DeGroat.
DeGroat, who is majoring in administration of justice, gives back by counseling the children when he is home.
“I’ve watched him grow into a fine young man,” said Terry Barrio, an employee at the Abbott House, who has known DeGroat for eight years. “We always knew he was going someplace. He comes back and talks to our kids. He’s a role model now. We’re all very proud of him.”
The other in-depth story is on Pitt Associate Head Coach, Barry Rohrssen.
Dick Weiss, the renowned college basketball writer for the New York Daily News, called Rohrssen “the coach with the biggest recruiting impact in the city of New York and on Long Island.”
Ahead of Jim Calhoun. Ahead of Rick Pitino. Ahead of Jay Wright, Jim Boeheim and others.
“He opened doors for the Panthers to be a top 10 program,” Weiss wrote.
Rohrssen also works closely with Pitt’s post players, including junior center Aaron Gray, who is fast-developing into an NBA prospect.
“Barry has been an integral part of the success of this program,” Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said. “He has a great coaching background, is a good recruiter with outstanding contacts and has an understanding of how we run our program.”
As Pitt’s associate head coach, Rohrssen headlines Dixon’s staff of tireless assistants, who have managed to replenish the Panthers’ roster annually with impact players. Joe Lombardi, Pat Sandle and former Pitt star Orlando Antigua round out the group.
Rohrssen, deservedly, gets much of the credit for developing Pitt’s “NY Pipeline.” He’s been rumored for several coaching jobs, and other teams have tried to poach him for their staff.
