The Collegian

Issue date: 3/13/08 Section: Sports

This game is a big one - possibly the turning point of their season. Senior Tim Homan strides into the locker room before the pregame team meeting. He is the last to arrive, and instead of the usual game preparations, the team huddles in a moment of silence. Homan, unsure why the locker room is somber, meanders awkwardly around the huddle.

After a few moments of feeling left out, he pops his head into the huddle. He is met with a surprise: His teammates break out in a ruckus issuing Homan, known as a practical jokester, a dose of his own medicine - a prank.

Head men's basketball coach John Tharp called Homan a "quiet prankster" and his roommate, junior Evan Steward, a guard on the team, described him similarly.

"Tim is definitely the jokester," Steward said. "He'll pull pranks on everyone - and he has since he's been here. In the locker room, around the house. He pulls them a lot on the freshmen."

Homan, 22, may play his share of pranks, but they wouldn't be so effective if it wasn't contrasted with his predominately peaceful nature.

A small-town guy
Despite his interest in adventuresome activities as owner of both a pilot and scuba diving license and his love of gun and bow hunting, Homan has a calm demeanor.

"I was pretty quiet coming in," Homan said. "And I'm not a big partier - that was never my place. That kind of thing never caught my eye 'cause I never needed that stuff."

Part of the reason for never getting caught up in a party-oriented social scene, Homan said, is his fiancé, Jess, who attends Wright State University.

"He's been with her forever," Steward said. "I know she's a main part of his life."

Homan grew up in Montezuma, Ohio, a small town, with parents Tim Sr. and Joan and three younger siblings: A.J., two years younger, Liz, four years younger, and Sarah, eight years younger.

As the first school to offer Homan a scholarship, Hillsdale stood out.

"I liked the fact that the town was small," Homan said. "I fit in pretty good here."

He is not someone to get into trouble or miss a team meeting, coaches said. He's an exemplary person and a joy to be around.

"He's got a big heart," Tharp said. "I think he's represented Hillsdale College in a very positive way - not only this year, but in years past. I wish I could have had him for four years. I was honored to have coached him for one. Homan is a kid that you want your son to grow up and be like."

In the same way he is a role model off the court, his performance on the floor is no different.

Driven to play
As the lone senior on the team this past season and with a new coaching staff settling in, coaches said they were aware it could have been easy for Homan to write the season and unfamiliar game plan off. But Homan remained dedicated to the team.

"He did everything he could to listen and absorb and set an example," said Dan Evans, assistant coach and Homan's housemate. "Hard work, dedication to basketball are things that all of our guys can really respect Tim for. Everyday he laid it on the line - whether it was practice or game day. It didn't matter if he was sick, tired."

Tharp said competition drives Homan, along with the fear of disappointing others.

"I think he enjoys figuring out how we can take advantage of other teams," Tharp said. "I think his number one motivation is that he does not want to let anyone down. I think he wants to please those who care about him."

Homan agreed with Tharp's assessment.

In 1993, Homan's dad and uncle built large, gym-like areas in both of their basements, each nearly the size of half of a basketball court. Each room had three hoops with a three-point line and 15-20 feet of extra room.

"After that was built, my dad was always pushing me to practice," Homan said. "I'd be on the computer messing around playing games, and he'd be downstairs asking me to shoot. I remember sometimes I'd want to say 'no,' but I'd always say 'yes' 'cause I didn't want to let him down. He worked so hard to get it built."

The root of Homan's desire to be a great basketball player is the classic dream-big story. He watched the greatest and worked to duplicate.

"I remember always watching Michael Jordan on TV, he was my man," Homan said. "I remember at halftime I'd always go outside and shoot around and come back in to try and catch the end of the game. That's what got me started."

An athlete's support system
As a youth, Homan's parents were instrumental in developing his basketball career.
His dad encouraged him to practice, while his mom drove him the eight miles to and from practice each day.

Encouragement also stems beyond his family. Homan's entire hometown has and continues to be an important support system.

"My hometown has always been real supportive," Homan said. "My dad gets a bus together every year - 50 to 60 people. They come up every year. They're always checking up on me."

And who wouldn't want to make a trip to watch Homan play? His scoring and leaping abilities alone are worth the price of admission.

"He is an explosive jumper," Tharp said. "He's one of the top five jumpers in the GLIAC. He's such a strong kid."

A leader on the court
Homan has put up solid numbers since he got to Hillsdale, but has become more assertive this year.

"He started creating his own shots," Steward said. "Whereas, usually, he just let the game come to him. This year he definitely went after it a lot more."

Both Evans and Tharp shared the same favorite memory of Homan on the court. During a home game against Saginaw Valley State University this past season, Homan knocked down 10 three-pointers.

"To see someone shoot the ball like that in person is pretty breathtaking," Evans said.
"It was something I'll always remember for the rest of my life," Tharp said.

While this is only one highlight of Homan's career, his four years at Hillsdale rival the best of those who came before him.

"I don't know all the Hillsdale players of the past, but when you look at the numbers Tim's put up, he has to be one of the best players to ever put on a Hillsdale College uniform," Tharp said.

Homan did his part as the elder classman of the team, leading the younger players in every way he knew how.

"I think Tim leads by example," Tharp said. "He's a man of few words. When he does say something, everyone listens. I think we looked at what he did in practice and acquired his work ethic."

As one would expect, Homan remained humble about his accomplishments. He said he only hopes others see the way he works and are themselves motivated by observation.

"I just try to play to the best of my ability and do whatever needs to be done," he said. "I try to be a leader. I don't open my mouth a whole lot, so everything I do, I try to do the right way. That's kind of my way to lead."

Homan may be a quiet prankster, but his game is anything but quiet.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools