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Lane Tech Hoops Coach Teams with Bulls' Joakim Noah To Prevent Gun Violence

By Justin Breen | November 20, 2014 7:51am | Updated on November 21, 2014 9:16am
 Lane Tech boys basketball coach Nick LoGalbo (l.) is organizing a rally for Bulls star Joakim Noah's #chicagostandup anti-gun violence campaign. The rally will take place Sunday at Lane Tech. Several basketball teams throughout Chicago will be wearing special #chicagostandup T-shirts. LoGalbo's cousin was shot in the head Oct. 17 and remains in the hospital.
Lane Tech boys basketball coach Nick LoGalbo (l.) is organizing a rally for Bulls star Joakim Noah's #chicagostandup anti-gun violence campaign. The rally will take place Sunday at Lane Tech. Several basketball teams throughout Chicago will be wearing special #chicagostandup T-shirts. LoGalbo's cousin was shot in the head Oct. 17 and remains in the hospital.
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Nick LoGalbo (l.); Getty Images

CHICAGO — With assistance from Bulls star Joakim Noah's foundation, Lane Tech College Prep boys basketball coach Nick LoGalbo hopes to stand up to gun violence in Chicago.

LoGalbo is organizing a "#chicagostandup" rally inside and outside of Lane Tech on Sunday after his 18-year-old cousin, Darrin Hollingshead, was shot in the head on Oct. 17.

Among those present will be Noah's mother, Cecilia Rodhe, who's the president of the Noah's Arc Foundation. Noah won't be able to attend.

Justin Breen says the movement could expand to all Public League teams:

"The goal of #ChicagoStandUp is to encourage others to be ambassadors for peace and create positive change in their communities," Rodhe said in an email. "It means so much that Lane Tech College Prep was inspired to turn this message into a rally, inviting young people from all over Chicago to unite and take a stand against violence.

"This is a very powerful statement, because the issue of violence is not just on the South Side or the West Side — it belongs to the entire city. Noah's Arc Foundation is very excited to be out there on Sunday and show our support."

LoGalbo expects hundreds of participants, including players and coaches from several city and suburban basketball teams.

Many of the basketball players present will be from eight boys teams competing in the Battle of the Bridge Thanksgiving tournament: Lane Tech, DePaul College Prep, Mount Carmel, Notre Dame, Westinghouse, Taft, Harlan and Evanston Township. The tourney is hosted by Lane Tech and neighboring DePaul College Prep and begins Monday.

Most of the players will be wearing special sky blue T-shirts with a red #chicagostandup message that were ordered by LoGalbo. The seventh-year head coach and Lane Tech graduate also has asked every Chicago Public League boys and girls team to buy the shirts so the city's basketball community can "stand in solidarity."

"Sports are a way to keep kids out of trouble and off the streets," said LoGalbo, of Portage Park.

Hollingshead, 18, was one of three people shot on Oct. 17 in the 3900 block of North Francisco Avenue after a green sedan drove past and someone from inside opened fire, authorities said. Hollingshead was shot in the head, authorities said, and taken in serious condition to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he remains, LoGalbo said.

"They've been doing surgery after surgery," said LoGalbo, who noted Hollingshead also had been shot in the back, which severed his spine. "He's still not awake.

"My whole family, we're a crazy Italian family, and when [Darrin] was shot, it was crazy," LoGalbo added. "I just tried to be positive and do something to get our minds focused on the harsh reality we were going through."

In July, Noah starred in a public service announcement that aimed to end violence in Chicago. The 60-second spot repeated the theme "Stand Up Chicago."

LoGalbo said an official from the Noah's Arc Foundation will be one of the speakers after the rally moves inside Lane Tech to discuss ways of preventing gun violence. The list of speakers also includes Von Steuben boys basketball coach Vince Carter, who serves as the head of the Chicago Public League Basketball Coaches Association.

Sunday's rally begins at 10 a.m. at Lane Tech's front lawn, where participants will hold anti-violence signs along Western and Addison. The rally will be moved into the high school from 11 a.m.-noon, when several speakers will discuss gun violence and the #chicagostandup initiative. Some 100 #chicagostandup T-shirts were donated by manufacturer BSN sports and will be available for $15, LoGalbo said.

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