2022 High school basketball preview: New coach Jeff Huber likes the family feel at Elyria Catholic

With extensive experience coaching in the Great Lakes Conference, Jeff Huber knew all about Elyria Catholic when the boys basketball job came open after last season. He also had some family ties. As the uncle of Panthers forward Colin Kenneally as well as former Elyria Catholic standout Jack Kenneally, who earned all-state honors last season, Huber knew all about the value the school places on its sports programs. "Having coached here for a number of years, both at Holy Name and at Westlake, I always knew there was a ton of potential here," Huber said. "I knew athletics are important here and I always felt like this was a fun place to play. "Those sorts of things made the position attractive for me, and knowing some of the kids in the program and how they have a tradition of being successful in basketball, football and other sports as well made this really appealing. "I thought the program was already in great shape, and we can now build on what was in place to make this an elite program." It isn't always ideal for a new coach to step into a program that sports a senior-laden roster like the Panthers have this season. Huber spent nine seasons at Holy Name and three at Westlake, earning Great Lakes Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2016-17 and 2017-18 as well as being named the 2017-18 Greater Cleveland Basketball Coaches Association Division II-IV Coach of the Year. He led Holy Name to two trips to the regional. "We really looked forward to playing for him because we've seen what he's been able to do at other programs," senior guard Thomas Niederst said. "At Holy Name and Westlake they were constantly winning, and now we want to try to build on that here. "It's going to take some getting used to, but I think we've all really bought in. Once we get going I think we're going to be a really good team." Senior Colin Kenneally agrees. "I was sad to see Coach (Rob) Palmer go, but I was obviously excited because (Huber is) my uncle," Kenneally said. "Coach Palmer was a great coach, but this is a new opportunity for us. It's a new beginning for our team, so we're all excited." Huber said getting to coach Colin, after coaching Jack when Jack was a freshman at Holy Name, is a bonus. He appreciates the family connection he has and thinks it's typical of what takes place at Elyria Catholic. "The fact that I get to coach Colin is really the cherry on top," Huber said. "The job was already appealing, but the opportunity to coach your nephew is pretty cool. ... There are families that have had generations of kids go through this school, and that's why I think there is so much pride here. I've been really excited and humbled to meet some of those families and learn more about this school and its tradition." Senior Colin Ginley said the Panthers are looking forward to seeing how far a new voice in the locker room and on the sideline can take the program. "As a whole I think we're all very excited," Ginley said. "I think it's a new challenge within our program. I think our guys have been well-prepared over the last couple of years with Coach Palmer, so a guy coming in like Coach Huber who has everything prepared … we know if we can stick to his plan we're going to have a great year." Huber is also looking forward to seeing how the future will unfold for his program. "Our expectations are to compete for a conference championship this season," Huber said. "We have a lot of guys that will be in new roles. It's not going to be one person's job to replace someone like Jack (Kenneally), but we have a lot of guys with experience and a lot of guys that are good athletes. "I think our depth is going to be a strength and I really believe the conference is going to be wide open. We absolutely expect to compete to be at the top of the league, and we've got a lot of work to do to make that happen." Contact Mike Perry at (440) 329-7135 or ctstringer0303@gmail.com.