By Tim Wester
Sports Correspondent
Imagine having your parent as a teacher in high school.
Then imagine having that same parent as your basketball coach and Athletic Director.
Such is the life of Frankie and Jack Pettit, whose father Dave is the boys basketball coach, Athletic Director, and Economics teacher at Union Grove high school.
Before you yell out awkward, keep in mind that the Pettits have maintained an enviable bond that has helped them thrive in high school.
“I’ve had Frankie in my Economics class as a junior, and I thought it might be a little awkward but it wasn’t bad,” Dave said. “She called me dad once in class and it felt weird, but overall it wasn’t bad. All the juniors have to take Economics so I’ll have Jack next year.”
Awkwardness in his father’s Economics class next year shouldn’t be an issue for Jack, since he will have two years of playing for his dad as the starting point guard for the Broncos.
“I feel like I know everything that my dad wants as a point guard, sometimes I even know more than he does,” Jack joked. “But I don’t mind playing for my dad.”
While father and son have a strong understanding on the court, it took the rest of the team some time to accept Jack as the team’s starting point guard as a freshman last season.
“There were probably some doubters last year when Jack started as a frosh, but as the year went on he proved that he was the best ball handler and belonged,” Dave said.
This season, Jack has assumed a bigger role as the team’s scoring leader.
“I have taken a little bit more of a leadership role this year, but we leave the leadership off the court to the upper classmen and seniors,” Jack said.
While Jack is developing his leadership skills, four-year varsity basketball starter and senior Frankie is one of the main leaders on the Lady Bronco squad. As a point forward, Frankie has helped lead her team to a 9-3 record and a second-place standing in the Southern Lakes Conference. The Broncos are trying to repeat as conference champions after tying with Waterford last season.
“Frankie does so much as a complete player, and her leadership makes her one of the best players to come through here,” Union Grove girls basketball coach Rob Domagalski said. “When she was young attending her dad’s practices, she got to pick up on things that average players don’t. She understands the game more and it helps game situations.”
Frankie, who wants to play basketball next year in college, credits her dad for helping develop her understanding as a youth player.
“My dad basically coached me my whole life until high school,” Frankie said. “Sometimes I’ll ask him to watch my game with me on tape and critique my game, which helps too.”
“Sometimes there are nights when both the boys and girls play, so I don’t get to watch the game live and have to watch a recorded game,” Pettit said. “But I try not to be too pushy about it with her. She had enough of me as coach before high school.”
Dave not only was a youth coach for both Frankie and Jack, but also was a de facto referee and mediator when the two played one-on-one as young kids.
“Here’s how it worked,” Dave said. “They’d go play and one of them would leave angry and the only way they would play is if I came out and refereed. Someone always left with hurt feelings, but they’ve matured now.”
Frankie admits now that Jack can beat her one-on-one now that he is bigger and stronger.
Between playing basketball, Frankie and Jack also dedicate time to playing varsity volleyball and football in the fall. Frankie also is visiting colleges with the quest of playing basketball and majoring in Actuary Science.
The ambition of the Pettit children partially comes from Dave, who played baseball and basketball at Racine St. Catherine’s in high school. After graduating from UW-Whitewater, Dave went into teaching and quickly got into coaching baseball, basketball, and football.
A few years later at the age of 26, Dave became the Broncos’ boys varsity coach, which he has held for 21 years. Dave is also the school’s athletic director.
“I love being coach and Athletic Director,” Dave said. “There’s not a day that I look at the clock and count down the minutes, it’s more of feeling like time is always flying. It gets a little overwhelming with the cell phone and expecting immediate return. I have to work on putting the phone away a little bit, but for the most part, it’s good.”
As well as the family unit operates; the Pettits admit that their mother and wife Carrie is the unsung hero.
“In order for all this to work, their mother has got to be a superstar,” Dave said. “She is willing to sit in gyms and gets to transport everyone everywhere. And when we are all here, Carrie is with our 11-year old daughter Emmy for her athletic games. Emmy is our little cheerleader and mom is at every event as well.”
With a supportive sister and parents behind them, Frankie and Jack have certainly enjoyed their high school experience, and most importantly, minimized the awkwardness with their father at school.
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