It’s a family affair for Fontbonne’s JV

After 10 years of coaching Fontbonne’s JV basketball team, Coach Anthony Bartholomeo is cashing in on a golden opportunity to coach his freshman daughter Allie for this 2015-2016 season. As a member of the starting five, Coach Bartholomeo’s daughter has helped to bring the JV to a 6-2 record at the mid-season mark.

With her dad following in the footsteps of Varsity Coach Steve Oliver, who coached both his daughters Jill (FHA’11) and Kate (FHA’14), Allie Bartholomeo is shaping into the same leadership mold as the “Oliver girls.” Already in her first season, Allie, who is a Genesis Program graduate, has quickly become the second leading scorer on the JV, just behind the team’s top scorer and former eighth grade St. Patrick teammate Jill Howard.

As the JV’s shooting guard, Allie normally gets the first touch across the line where she either takes a quick shot or sets up the play to go low to the basket. Routinely bringing a steadying effect to the offense, Allie in particular displayed her value and determination early this season when she returned to the court for the fourth quarter after a taking a first half elbow to the nose to lead the Bonnies to a near-comeback win over McClancy that just fell short by three points.

Commenting on her favorite sport, Bartholomeo stated, “I’ve always played basketball with my older cousins going back to the first grade. Besides basketball, I play soccer for Fontbonne and I’m involved with a number of after-school activities.” The freshman, who has a goal of becoming a physician’s assistant, stated, “ I really have to use time management to get everything done and to keep a 95 average, something that I’ve had since sixth grade,”

Looking back at coaching the JV, Coach Bartholomeo admits that his 10 years have just flown by; and that when he joined the team in 2006 as an assistant coach, he never envisioned coaching his daughter at Fontbonne. “I’m glad that she made her own decision to come here. It’s been a pleasure to have her on this team,” said the proud dad.

“I’ve never had a conflict with her,” said Bartholomeo concerning the dual-edged sword of coaching a daughter. “She actually listens to me better on the court than at home,” he admitted, along with a consenting smile from his daughter. Besides the pleasure of coaching his daughter, Bartholomeo states that coaching at the JV level has been a gratifying experience as he gets to see girls develop and play at the Varsity level.

After assisting her father for the past two years at the scorer’s table, keeping the JV scorebook, Allie admitted, “It was a little weird at first to come to a game and not to keep score, but I’m really enjoying playing on the court where I watched so many games.”