Gary Hawkins
Gary Hawkins began coaching at St. Mary’s School (now known as St. Michael) in 1974. He coached basketball to kids in the junior high age group as well as Babe Ruth baseball.
Gary is still at St. Mike’s and plans to return next for several reasons, chief among them the enjoyment he gets from teaching kids basketball in practice and seeing the results in a game.
Gary gets satisfaction from seeing that some of the players he’s coached have gone on to success in high school and college, but just as rewarding is knowing that they’ve taken away some of the lessons the game and applied them to their daily lives.
He’s also been associated with the game in his job as a sports reporter at the Kennebec Journal. Gary started in 1976 and has covered hundreds of high school games, and interviewed players and coaches, including some of this year’s inductees.
Gary retired in 2014, but returned a year later as a part-time reporter and continues to stay in touch with high school basketball in the state.
His impact in central Maine is considerable. A whole generation grew up reading and listening to Gary Hawkins’ deep love for the game of basketball.
Congratulations on your induction into the Legends category of the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame.