{"id":26905,"date":"2023-09-22T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-22T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thebeehive.molloyhs.org\/?p=26905"},"modified":"2023-10-17T11:03:31","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T15:03:31","slug":"the-beehive-9-22-23","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thebeehive.molloyhs.org\/?p=26905","title":{"rendered":"The Beehive – 9\/22\/23"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Jack Curran Gala Welcomes Decades of Players<\/strong> –<\/strong> Molloy<\/strong> Retires #5, Memorializes Basketball Win Total<\/strong>, Launches The Curran Fund (Gift Challenge Extended!)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pictured Left: Two new plaques are unveiled, retiring Jack Curran’s iconic #5 and memorializing his basketball win total of 972. <\/em>| Right: Special guest Coach Jim Larra\u00f1aga ’67 and Molloy President Richard Karsten ’81.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2023 marked the 10 year anniversary of the passing of Coach Jack Curran, the winningest coach in New York State history. For nearly 60 years, Mr. Curran served as an outstanding coach, a role model to countless athletes, an inspiring man of faith, and a friend to many at Molloy and beyond. To honor his ongoing legacy, Molloy held the Jack Curran Gala on September 20, 2023, using the event to retire Mr. Curran\u2019s iconic #5 jersey as well as memorialize his basketball win total of 972.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gala welcomed back Molloy athletes spanning many decades, as well as other alumni, family, and friends to celebrate Mr. Curran\u2019s lasting footprint on Molloy athletics. He was a unifying, inspiring force for Molloy and throughout the larger sports world, and his wide-reaching impact and influence has inspired the creation of The Curran Fund. The Curran Fund\u2019s goal is to provide a deserving student with a four-year scholarship to attend Molloy, and support for the fund began in earnest leading up to the Gala. In addition to the launch of the new fund, current Molloy basketball and baseball players unveiled large plaques highlighting Mr. Curran\u2019s #5 jersey number and basketball win total of 972, which will now permanently reside on the walls of the Jack Curran Gymnasium. The gym also features new decals and signage further celebrating Mr. Curran and Stanner teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mr. Mike McCleary<\/strong>, welcoming those in attendance, said, \u201cI believe the people in this room often think about how [Coach Curran] made us feel. He made us feel great. Maybe it was for a moment or maybe a lifetime, but he brought greatness out in all of us. Through his guidance, we learned to perform at our best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Jim Larra\u00f1aga \u201967<\/strong>, Head Coach of men\u2019s basketball at the University of Miami, was Molloy\u2019s special guest and the evening\u2019s MC. Coach Larra\u00f1aga graciously took time out of his very busy schedule to help pay tribute to his coach, mentor, and friend, Jack Curran. Coach Larra\u00f1aga first chatted and took photos with many in attendance. He later delivered a keynote speech, sharing several personal stories about Mr. Curran, all illustrating the type of man he was. Coach Larra\u00f1aga spoke of Mr. Curran’s strategic mind, always thinking about players and lineups for games \u2014 even in casual conversation. Coach Larra\u00f1aga recalled his many conversations with Mr. Curran during his attempted recruitment of Kenny Smith \u201983, who eventually ended up going to North Carolina. He also shared a story about how Mr. Curran helped Larra\u00f1aga\u2019s ill father get admitted into a top hospital where he would be cared for by the best doctors. \u201cThat was the kind of man he was,\u201d said Coach Larra\u00f1aga. He also emphasized that he never uses vulgarity in his own coaching style, and that is because Mr. Curran never did so. He concluded by saying, \u201cI love Molloy, I love Mr. Curran. He was my role model, and everything I\u2019ve done in coaching\u2026I hope he\u2019d be proud. [Coach Curran] was always there to encourage you, motivate you, and lead you in the right direction. To me, he\u2019s not only a hall of fame coach, a legend, an icon \u2013 the winning he did in baseball and basketball, nobody is ever going to match that combination. He was truly, truly one of a kind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having such prominent figures from across the sports world return to Molloy on a Wednesday night was \u201cinspiring,\u201d noted President Richard Karsten \u201881<\/strong>, who said the presence of so many of Coach Curran\u2019s players, colleagues, and friends was a \u201creminder of how Coach Curran, the Marist Brothers, and all our teachers and mentors at Molloy have made such a remarkable impact on our lives.\u201d All in attendance shared an unmatched admiration for Coach Curran, and felt grateful to be celebrating such a prominent figure in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click the buttons below to read the full story with quotes from athletes and coaches in attendance, to download our event journal, or to make a gift to The Curran Fund!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the event, it was announced that the Gift Challenge in support of The Curran Fund has been extended through November 1st. Two amazing donors will be matching all gifts made to The Curran Fund 2 : 1 up to $75,000. That means any gift to the fund can have double even more impact. Click the button below to visit our donate page and make a gift by 11\/1\/23.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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READ FULL STORY<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
SUPPORT THE CURRAN FUND<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
DOWNLOAD JOURNAL<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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