Irvington’s Gina Maher Makes It 800!

By Tom Pedulla–

   They came to see a living legend accomplish a remarkable milestone on Feb. 1. They got what they came for.

   In the final seconds of Irvington’s 48-27 rout of visiting Eastchester, fans in the overflow crowd rose to their feet and began chanting, “Gina Maher! Gina Maher!”

   Then her grandsons, Leif and Riggs, showed what this memorable night was about during emotional post-game ceremonies. They unfurled a banner that saluted one of the nation’s most accomplished girls’ basketball coaches for her 800^th victory.

   Maher’s achievements do not stop there. Her extraordinary tenure since Irvington hired her in 1975 includes six state championships and five federation titles. And those numbers do not begin to reflect the countless girls she empowered to become successful women in professions of all kinds. It was typical of Maher that she invited those women who attended to come onto the court to celebrate with her.

   “They make a difference in my life,” she said in an interview once the cheering subsided. “And I hope I make a difference in their life.”

   Maher and Irvington have always been a perfect fit. “I just feel very lucky to be in a community and a school where people support you,” she said. “Even when you lose, people support you.”

   Although she has won big, she has always recognized that her task is much larger than teaching girls a game. Senior captain Anders Knapp recalled a recent morale-building encounter.

   “I was in a rut with school and Miss Maher called me over and she gave me a lecture and she gave me a pep talk and hugged me just like a mother would do,” Knapp said. “She is a mother to so many people. It’s not a team. It’s a family.”

   Said Niki DeNardo, another senior captain: “Growing up in Irvington, it’s always been a dream of mine to play under Coach Maher. I’ve been playing for her since eighth grade and it’s been truly amazing year after year. She works so hard. This team is family.”

   Maher’s husband, Neil, kept track of the scoring in the early years. Her sons would do their homework in the gym office. Her players give great effort without fail.

   “You can’t do it alone,” she said. “You can’t do anything in life alone.”

   Barbara Constantine, her assistant for more than 20 years, noted how many lives Maher, 84, has impacted. “Eight hundred wins, it’s amazing. You look around and she’s touched more than 800 lives, including the girls she’s coached, the opposing team, the officials,” Constantine said. “So many people in the community are out to support her because she is one of a kind.”

   The student cheering section stood throughout the Eastchester game. Several held a banner that read, “Bulldogs Don’t Stop Now.” Another banner read, “Hold the rope 4Gina.” It referred to one of her favorite mottos, that every player on the roster must hold the rope for the team to succeed.

    Irvington played with a determination that reflected how badly it wanted this 800^th “W” for her. The Bulldogs sprinted to a 20-0 advantage at the end of the opening quarter. Their suffocating defense allowed the Eagles just two free throws at 4:08 of the second quarter as they built an insurmountable 33-2 halftime margin.

   “All week it was, ‘Do it for Miss Maher. Do it for Miss Maher.’ Every practice, we played harder and harder,” Knapp said. “We pushed ourselves to the limit. We knew we were doing this for her. We all were selfless for her. We all put it all out there on the court for her. If anything, we exceeded our expectations.”

   Players fed off a crowd that spilled out of the bleachers and filled every corner of the gym. It seemed as though everyone in Irvington wanted to be part of this historic night.

   “That’s probably the only time we’ll see a crowd like that,” DeNardo said. “I was trying to take it all in and enjoy it. It was truly amazing.”

   It perhaps said everything about Maher that Eastchester coach Andre Biancardi made sure to stay at his bench to applaud her. The bus could wait. “She is what all coaches aspire to be,” he said. “She really is a beacon. She is an inspiration to all of the other coaches, younger coaches like myself across the section.

   “Year after year, she continues to be a class act. I’m so happy for her. It’s way beyond basketball. It’s educating young women and cultivating a culture of respect for the game, respect for your opponent. She does everything right and it’s old school.”

   However old school the approach may be, eight hundred wins only begin to tell the story of Maher. Her impact is so tremendous that it extends beyond measure.