Dolak’s final game earned a championship

English teacher Jason Dolak played basketball his whole childhood, but found his true inspiration while coaching his brother’s travel basketball team. 

“My parents, specifically my dad, who was an athlete in high school, tried to get me involved as much as possible into things,” Dolak said. “They pushed me to better without forcing me to do things I didn’t like, so that really encouraged me and allowed me to explore.” 

Dolak realized he wanted to continue playing basketball in college late in his high school career. 

“I played three different sports in high school: baseball, basketball, and football. The three were a bit too much for me to balance, so my last two years of high school I dropped baseball and began coaching my little brother’s travel basketball team,” Dolak said. 

While helping his brother’s team, Dolak realized that though he loved playing football, basketball was more important to him. So when he received an opportunity to play at La Roche University, he took it. 

“We had a really good football program at my high school,” Dolak said. “We ranked ninth in the country my senior year, but basketball was just more of a passion for me.”

One memorable moment came in his final college basketball game. 

“My senior year of college, my team won a conference championship. That was a really big deal for me as a senior, because we had faced a lot of trials and tribulations as a team that year,” Dolak said. “At one point of the season, we even had one of the managers dress for a game because we were down so many guys. It was really one of those classic, storybook adversity-type seasons.” 

After going into the tournament on a team not expected to do so well, Dolak wound up ending his basketball career with a final championship win. 

“The finals took place in my hometown, Erie, so I got to play in front of my whole family,” Dolak said. “Winning the finals at my last game was very memorable for me.”

Sports prepared Dolak for his professional life as a teacher and coach. 

“When you are teaching, having a coaching and playing background really helps you look at things a little bit differently,” Dolak said. “You kind of look at your profession as more of a teamwork atmosphere.”

Dolak said he enjoys having conversations with his colleagues and working on how they can develop the curriculum better for future years. His sports experience also helps in conversations with students.

“Sports also have allowed me to relate to students on a certain level, as I am able to give them tips from my experiences, like how to manage their time effectively,” Dolak said. 

Dolak recommends that students not only play sports, but also get involved in activities. 

“Being involved in activities during high school is so important and a huge part of the experience. If you are nervous about not being good enough, then you really can’t know unless you give it a try,” Dolak said.