Name Dropping | Hosting IHSA tournament teams 'the best job in the world'

Mar. 4—In a way, Jason and Jill Tompkins get to experience what it's like to run out onto the floor of the State Farm Center for the first time.

They do it through the eyes of the boys high school basketball teams they host for the state tournament.

The Mahomet residents will be back for the third time as hosts. Each will host their own team. She hosted Scales Mound her first year, and he hosted Liberty. Scales Mound made it back the following year, but this time Jason hosted the Hornets while Jill hosted Tuscola.

Jason provides some perspective on what it can be like for a youngster to visit the giant space ship-looking arena for the first time: "I can still remember leading the team in the tunnel onto the floor, and that look, you can imagine, of a young man from Liberty, at the massiveness of the State Farm Center and just their eyes, the excitement of 'Wow! We're here!'"

Jill agreed: "You can see it in their eyes. They're excited; they're nervous; they're in a state of disbelief that they're really there."

Jason said a trip with his father to watch the state tournament when he was a youngster provides fond memories to this day.

"I still remember dad saying, 'I wonder if I've raised enough corn in my lifetime to fill this place,'" Jason said.

Peoria did a good job hosting the state tournament, according to Jason, but there's just something about playing in State Farm Center that makes it special.

His fondness for the place continued as he was a member of the Orange Krush for four years, and continues as he and Jill attend Illini basketball games. They were there Wednesday night when the Illini outscored Minnesota.

But the appeal of the arena is just part of it. Bells and whistles such as a police escort from the hotel to the State Farm Center are also memorable for the teams.

In their third year as hosts, the Tompkins have hosted Class A teams both their first two years. Monday night is when they learn who they will host this year — Jason a team from the DeKalb supersectional and Jill from the Charleston supersectional.

"We really do," Jill said of enjoying the hosting experience. "Especially the small schools and the excitement the team has and the fans."

Added Jason: "The Liberty Eagles, that was a special team, So many unique dynamics. The coaching staff was father-son. They were the absolute kindest, very well-mannered, very respectful group. I still hold them in high regard."

The same with Scales Mound.

"You've got 68 kids in the school," he said. "You talk about connected. It kind of goes back to 'Hoosiers,' the movie."

Both are natives of small-town Illinois — he from Cuba and she from Buffalo — and so it's natural that they prefer to host the smaller-school squads.

Jill likes everything about the sport.

"I always loved the feel of high school basketball," she said. "I think it goes back to my time in a small central Illinois high school. Our team had a bit of success in the mid-80s.

"Just the feel of the fans. As a small school, the community always shows up, from the elementary kids,who are thrilled and look up to the athletes so much" to the adults.

One cool aspect of serving as a host is getting to sit on the bench with their teams.

Jason called the hosting excperience "the best job in the world."

"Our job is to make them feel welcome to Champaign-Urbana. In that 48 hours, we pack a lot in."

After they find out who they'll be hosting, the Tompkins will contact coaches and athletic directors from those schools and ask what they need.

"Meal planning is kind of a biggy," he said. "You're trying to get 30 people into a restaurant; that can be a little challenging."

The teams arrive Wednesday afternoon, and they will likely want to do a walk-through that evening. Area gyms will also be set up to host practices.

For Class 1A, lose Thursday and you play for third or fourth place that evening. Win Thursday, and you wait a day to play for the state championship.

"For the day in between, we let them decide" what they want to do. "Typically on the middle day I just keep in touch and ask, 'Do you need anything?"

Congratulations to the king and queen

Liberty Estates retirement community residents of Danville selected Robert Hittinger and Betty Barkman 2024 Valentine's Day king and queen. The crowning ceremony took place Feb. 14. Local royalty was in attendance to help crown the new king and queen, including 2023 king and queen Ronald Lindvahl and Norma Jenkins, plus Anna Bacon, Jayden Nicholson and Jessalyn Gonzalez.

DACC students phone it in — in a good way

Lee Hernandez and Katlyn Ray didn't know they could be so lucky by just registering as full-time students at Danville Area Community College.

The two were selected by random lottery to win a pair of iPhone 15s.

Hernandez, of Danville, and Ray, of Indiana, were surprised and delighted by the news.

DACC's iPhone contest was the college's latest initiative to encourage students to stay on track toward graduation.

Said DACC Provost Carl Bridges: "I've never met a student who came to DACC or any college not wanting to graduate. It stands to reason that our students will get closer to achieving their goals by taking as many classes as they can rather than just cherry-picking a class or two every semester."

Champaign native a top fundraiser

Champaign native Tess Haug believes in dance marathons as a good means to generate funds for worthy causes.

Since eighth grade she has been participating in dance marathon organizations. By her senior year at Champaign Centennial High School, she was vice president of the dance marathon.

Now a senior at the University of Iowa, Haug was instrumental in helping to raise some of the $1.4 million collected for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital.

She raised $11,000 and received the 2024 University of Iowa Center for Advancement Young Philanthropist Award.

"As the operations director for UIDM 30, I was a part of the executive council," Haug said. "This was a team of 14 directors.

"The role of the operations director is to ensure all logistics, volunteers and sustainability for not only the Big Event but the entire year leading up to the event. Specific to the event, I, along with the rest of my operations committee, was in charge of ensuring safety, transportation, volunteers to the work the Big Event and more.

New novel for Lipinski

Georgetown native and University of Illinois graduate Thomas Lopinski's newest novel, his third, is titled, "Zero Sum Conclusion."

The book is a futuristic, satirical exploration into the political, religious and social landscapes of today and what might become of America if it continues on its current path.

Lopinski, who lived in central Illinois most of the first 30 years of his life, now lives in Southern California.

The book can be pre-ordered on Amazon.

Does your church fly the flag?

Champaign American Legion Post 24 wants to honor local churches that fly the American flag inside their building.

Chuck Zelinsky of Post 24 said churches that do fly the flag inside can qualify for the Post 24 Flag Award.

Contact Zelinsky at 217-356-5114 or email al24champaign@gmail.com

Bivans steps up after Rome steps down

Jason Rome has resigned after five years as executive director of Vermilion Heritage Foundation, which operates Danville's Fischer Theatre.

Crystal Bivans, who has served as operations director since July 2021, will fill the role as interim director.

"During his tenure as executive director, Jason led the organization through what felt like the impossible — making the dream of so many a reality as our lady opened her doors to thousands of visitors to experience the arts in this magical and historic space," board president Ashton Greer said.

Greer said Bivens has been instrumental "in driving the theater's forward momentum through thoughtful communication, streamlining processes, dreaming up creative and engaging events, introducing flavorful concoctions to the cafe and coordinating our volunteers."

Mahomet-Seymour a state STEM winner

Mahomet-Seymour Junior High was selected as the state winner for Illinois in the 14th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM competition.

Each state winner wins a package of $12,000 in technology for their school.

Mahomet-Seymour plans to create a multi-sport jersey/shirt (baseball, hockey, football, softball and basketball) that provides rib cage protection as well as protection for their hearts to help protect against minor trunk injuries as well as injuries that may cause commotio cordis.

Coming up:

Due in early March, each state winner will receive a Samsung video production kit to document their project and create a three-minute video showcasing their STEM solution for the community issue.

Ten national finalists will be selected in late March and each awarded a $50,000 prize package.

In April, Solve for Tomorrow will name three schools as national winners, each of which will receive $100,000 in prize packages consisting of Samsung tech and classroom supplies.