What were some of your favorite classes/teachers at GHS?
My favorite teachers at GHS were Mr. Kessler, Ms. Hinman, Ms. Fulton, Mr. Hickey, and Mr. Moore.
What are some of your favorite memories as a GHS Silver Streak?
Generally speaking, I will mostly remember the Galesburg community support and interest we all received. The gym was packed for every home game. The student section was active and engaged. The GHS band was incredible. We had local radio station and newspaper coverage, and the community knew and rooted for the basketball players. It was a great privilege being a Silver Streak hooper.
Living in a big city now puts a spotlight on the advantages of having the support of an entire smaller town. We live in Denver proper now. For context, there are 55 Denver public high schools. My son (now a sophomore in college) played, and my 15 year old daughter currently plays, varsity basketball for Denver East High School - the first and oldest public high school in Denver. The rivalries here draw big crowds, but you don't have that centralized community support night in and night out that we had at GHS.
I caught the basketball bug early as a kid, and grew up watching and respecting the GHS basketball players that came before me. Being able to put on that GHS varsity basketball jersey for the first time, bust through the ring of paper held by our cheerleaders, warm up to the great tunes and drums from the GHS band, and compete for my home town is a key memory of mine.
Other notable GHS hoops memories: (1) scoring my first varsity bucket in game 1 of my freshman season, (2) getting my first varsity dunk as a freshman at home - will never forget the eruption from the crowd and the surge of confidence I felt running back down the court for defense, (3) having my brother Michael - born with a developmental disability - as a team manager along with the respect and appreciation I had for my teammates who always looked out for Michael around school, (4) Coach Donald Brannon's huge smile and infectious positivity, (5) being a captain of the team and the first four-year starter for GHS, and (6) being reminded of the significance of being a Streak through the tears of my senior teammates (including my senior year) for 4 straight years in the locker room after the last high school game each of those seniors would ever play.
What did you do after graduating from GHS?
I earned a full scholarship to play basketball for Northwestern University. Getting to play Big Ten basketball is something I will never forget and always appreciate. I remain in close contact with many of my Northwestern teammates and other student-athletes who are lifelong friends (we have a text chat that is active on a weekly basis made up of 11 NU teammates spread out across the country). I ended up transferring to Illinois Wesleyan after 2.5 years at NU after the head coach that recruited me to NU was fired. I graduated from IWU in 2000 and married Karla (Emery) Hanlon (also GHS class of '95) a couple of months after college graduation. Karla was also a GHS varsity hooper (along with being a GHS track athlete and cheerleader)! Our first date in high school was during the late fall of our sophomore year after one of Karla's basketball practices!
What do you do for your career?
I am a lawyer in Denver. I am a partner at the law firm of Holland & Hart LLP, and focus on utility scale renewable energy projects and other commercial construction projects. I joined the firm in 2008 when we moved to Denver.
What are you up to now?
Practicing law, playing hoops on weekly basis, and loving the beauty and adventure that the State of Colorado provides with Karla and our Hanlon Party of 5. My oldest, Emma, graduated from the University of Oklahoma in May 2025, my son Jake is currently a sophomore at the University of Colorado, and my daughter Olivia is a sophomore hooper at Denver East High School.
Karla is the Chief Operating Officer for Rocky Mountain Public Media (Rocky Mountain PBS).
In addition to my law practice, I also serve as a volunteer assistant varsity girls basketball coach for the Denver East Angels.
I also enjoy playing on an Irish basketball team that competes in annual masters tournaments in Ireland and Spain (and other countries). While the steps of the players may not be what they used to be, the camaraderie and competitive spirit remains the same! Long live hoops!
What advice for current Streaks athletes?
Other former GHS Streaks have said this, but I will emphasize the point: pour your heart and soul into the experience. Don't take it for granted, and proudly represent GHS and the Galesburg community in everything you do. The current players are fortunate to be coached and guided by Coach Taylor Thiel and Coach Joey Range. Both played on the best GHS boys basketball team in school history with my late brother, Patrick Hanlon (all three from the Class of '98), and Joey is the best Streak to ever wear a basketball uniform. I am grateful to have played one season with Joey (his freshman year and my senior year). Soak up the knowledge that Coach Thiel and Coach Range bring and compete during every possession with joy and focus. Go Streaks!
Here is the entire set of Streaks Basketball Alums…
Streaks Basketball Alums….help me out….
If you earned a varsity letter in girls or boys basketball at GHS- I would really like to include you in “Streaks Basketball Alumni Spotlight.” If you want to be included in the “Streaks Basketball Alumni Spotlight,” simply answer the questions below. (Note- if you are a female who played varsity basketball in the 1970’s before GHS gave females varsity letters- please jump in!!) Either text or email your responses and pictures to addresses below.
1- What year did you graduate?
2- What was your favorite class (classes), favorite teacher (teachers)?
3- What are a few of your favorite memories from GHS?
4- What did you do right after high school?
5- Where and what did you do for a career?
6- Share as much as you want of what you are doing now- still working, where are you, family, etc.
7- What advice would you have for today’s Silver Streak athletes?
If you have pictures from high school, send them OR I will get some pictures from yearbooks from when you were in school. Could you send me a picture of yourself or your family now?
Simple either text me at 309-368-0008, or email me at emass70@yahoo.com
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