700 level: Jenkintown’s Romano credits players for latest milestone
JENKINTOWN >> In pretty much every way, it was the perfect Jim Romano moment.
Just after the Jenkintown girls basketball team he’s coached for 39 years won its sixth straight District 1 Class A title and handed him the 700th victory of his career, Romano didn’t jump in to start taking pictures or basking in the accomplishment. Instead, he walked over to the huddle of Faith Christian Academy players and coaches who just saw their season end and offered congratulations on a great season, praise for the Lions seniors and encouragement for the players coming back.
Jenkintown has become one of the best and most consistent Class A programs in Pennsylvania because of its coach and because he never wants it to be about him.
“I don’t know, it’s hard to really put words to it,” Romano said after Tuesday’s 57-47 win. “This season has been crazy enough to begin with. It was in the back of my mind, it is a big number but I think it’s more for my girls to realize what they have done. The way they are is what has made me able to come back and continue to enjoy coaching them.”
The program’s consistency is noteworthy for several reasons. Jenkintown School District, one of the smallest in the state, covers an area of less than two square miles, has an entire enrollment of less than 700 and is nestled between two much larger districts in Abington and Cheltenham.
Yet, the Drakes have won six straight district titles, made the state semifinals in the 2016-17 and 2018-19 seasons, were 29-0 and in the quarterfinals when last season was shut down due to COVID-19 and won the PIAA A title in 2017-18. With a total roster size smaller than some programs’ JV teams, the Drakes just win.
They’ve also done so at a remarkable rate the last four years. This year’s senior class is currently 103-4 and has now been part of two milestone wins as No. 600 came early in their freshman year.
“We came into program where we already knew what we had to do,” Drakes senior Molly Walsh said. “Our seniors were great to us and we’ve just have to keep up that legacy. We didn’t even know this was going to be his 700th win until right before the game when he finally told us, so we wanted to do it for him too.”
It’d be difficult to find a less animated coach on a sideline than Romano is during a game and he doesn’t often rise from his seat on the bench but that doesn’t mean he’s not engaged. He doesn’t have to pace up and down barking commands because his players just know what they’re supposed to do and if they don’t, he lets them know.
Most years, the Drakes don’t go deep into their bench but it’s an expectation the seniors will set the bar at the beginning of each season then make sure the underclassmen follow them. The results on the floor are all earned when nobody is watching.
“It all starts at practice,” senior Carly Mulvaney said. “We saw right away what it took to be that good and we come back every year knowing ‘this is how hard we need to work at practice’ and ‘this is how hard we need to play in every game,’ that establishes what it takes.”
Romano is the first and only coach the Jenkintown girls basketball program has had but while he’s guided the team to every trophy in the glass case outside the gym, he is reluctant to take any credit for them. He has the 700 wins but in his view, they belong just as much to the legion of players, parents and administrators that have allowed the program to keep going.
Over the years, Romano has adapted as the game of basketball has evolved. The Drakes are still going to play aggressive defense, but they’ve had some really skilled offensive players in the past half-decade that have led to some changes in the offense.
At the center of it however, is always going to be that same foundation.
“That’s the key, talent-wise we have different abilities, but it’s the core of our team, the closeness and looking after each other,” Romano said. “The seniors take the younger girls in and they demonstrate what being a senior is supposed to be and the hope is it trickles down through the years.”
Walsh said one thing Romano has been tough on her about is shooting off the dribble. So when the senior hit a shot off the bounce Tuesday, she felt a little extra pride in it because she knew Romano was happy for her too.
“We know the standards and what he wants, but we also know where we want to be,” Walsh said. “Once we get that established, the younger girls just know what to do when they’re able to get in games.”
Romano grew up in Northeast Philly, went to college at Slippery Rock and found his way to Jenkintown, where he still resides. He teaches at the Valley Day School in Morrisville, which helps students with special learning, behavioral and emotional needs, so coming to the gym every day for practice is a change of pace.
Over the years, parents of former players have even come back to help. On Tuesday, Romano cited George Dorshimer, Scott Kremp and Paul Westkaemper among the numerous parents that chip with different things the program may need.
“I love the gym, I love the atmosphere, I love being with the kids,” Romano said. “I live in town. Once I’m here, I’m here and our administration here has really supported the program.”
This year’s seniors – Walsh, Mulvaney, Cady Westkaemper and Lauren Brockwell – have been part of some major victories including win 600 and 700 and the program’s first state title. They’d like to be part of one more if they can finish what they felt was taken away from them last year when the season was shut down.
“We spend so much time with him, we just end up building that dynamic as a team,” Mulvaney said. “We know what works well, if he’s hard on us, it’s just because he wants to make us better.”
Tuesday, after all his players and assistants got to clip down a piece of net, Romano cut down the rest and held it aloft for a just a few seconds. After that, it was time to start getting ready for a state playoff game next week.
“Someone was just telling me, ‘you’re 70 percent to 1,000,’” Romano said. “All I said was ‘that’s too big number, all I’m worrying about is 701 next week.’”
