SPRINGFIELD, Mass.-Jim Boeheim received a rude awakening Friday morning.

In Springfield, Mass. for Boeheim’s induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, his 5-year-old twins, Jack and Jamie, were feeling a little bored sitting in the hotel room while their parents slept. The twins decided their father had enough time to sleep and jumped on him, awakening the veteran coach from an already shaky slumber at 7:30 a.m.

Boeheim probably wasn’t too happy about this early morning greeting at first, especially on one of the most important days of his life. But when he told the story, a smile streaked across the 61-year-old’s face.

This side of Boeheim, rarely seen at the Carrier Dome or Manley Field House, was on full display this weekend in Springfield. While people gathered to celebrate Jim Boeheim the basketball coach, Boeheim was there to celebrate his family, his support behind the scenes.

During Friday night’s induction ceremony, Boeheim sat in the first row with Jamie on his lap and his wife Juli around his arm. It was picture perfect – four Boeheims huddled closely, waiting for the head of the family to be forever sealed into greatness.

As Boeheim’s name was called and he took the stage with Hall of Famer and close friend Dave Bing, Jack also left his seat and approached the stage with his father. Juli stopped him before he made it, but she didn’t stop him from jumping up and down with excitement when Boeheim gave his speech. That was his father up there, and although young Jack probably didn’t grasp the gravity of the moment, his excitement spoke volumes about Boeheim as a parent.

‘They think there are only players going in,’ Boeheim said. ‘They didn’t actually realize coaches can go in the Hall of Fame, too. They’re still a little too young to grasp this, but it’s still great to have them here.’

In his induction speech, Boeheim singled out his oldest child, Elizabeth, who is studying abroad in Paris this semester and couldn’t attend the festivities in Springfield.

Her birth two decades ago was a turning point in his career and life. He finally had more important responsibilities than putting together a winning team, but that didn’t stop him from continuing to do so.

‘She was the first person to change Jim Boeheim,’ Boeheim said. ‘When you go 42 years with no children, you don’t know what life’s about. … Then Juli came along and decided to triple that.’

Boeheim married Juli, his second wife, in 1997. Since then, they’ve had three children – Jack, Jamie and Boeheim’s 7-year-old namesake, James Arthur Boeheim III.

Since the birth of his three youngest children, Boeheim only became more successful on the court. He won his elusive national championship in 2003, his 700th game last season and now he joins exclusive company in the Hall of Fame.

Boeheim’s on-court persona hasn’t changed much, but if the weekend in Springfield is any indication, he’s a much different person when he steps off the sideline and takes off the whistle.

A select few were lucky enough to see what Juli and the kids see everyday.

‘What you see is what you get with this guy,’ Juli said. ‘With our children, he’s so patient, far more patient than I am. As a father, he’s so gentle and nurturing. People don’t see that when he’s on the sidelines screaming.’

Rob Anthes is an assistant sports editor at The Daily Orange, where his columns appear occasionally. E-mail him at rmanthes@syr.edu.

Published on September 11, 2005 at 12:00 pm