Latest news with #SteveTurner
Washington Post
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Gonzaga hires former Fordham coach Keith Urgo to lead basketball program
It was in Gonzaga's gym that Keith Urgo realized his love of coaching. First as a fifth-grader at the Northwest Washington private school's basketball camp and later while coaching at the camp during high school and college, he learned about the impact a mentor could have. He became set on turning his passion into a profession. A 1997 graduate of Gonzaga and a former player under longtime coach Dick Myers, Urgo got his coaching start at his alma mater in 2004, leading the freshman team. He later moved on to the college ranks and spent nearly two decades at the Division I level. On Tuesday, it was announced that Urgo will be returning to Eye Street — this time as Gonzaga's head basketball coach. He will assume the reins of one of the D.C. area's most prominent high school programs. 'It's a full-circle moment to be the third coach in [50 years] at a place where I transitioned from a boy to a man,' Urgo said. 'It's a surreal moment and I feel incredibly privileged and honored to take the torch. Hopefully I can continue to keep the standard that's been created as high as it is.' Urgo most recently served as Fordham's head coach. He was fired by the Jesuit school in March after three seasons, during which he went 50-49. He replaces Steve Turner, who left Gonzaga in late March for Montverde Academy in Florida. In his 21 years leading Gonzaga, Turner won nearly 500 games and four Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championships as the Eagles ascended to national relevance. Urgo credits Turner for giving him his start in coaching in 2004, Turner's first year as varsity coach. Urgo joined Jay Wright's staff at Villanova as a video coordinator in 2006 before becoming the program's director of basketball operations and eventually an assistant coach prior. He left for Penn State in 2011. After 10 years with the Nittany Lions, he went to Fordham to be Kyle Neptune's associate head coach and was elevated to the top job after Neptune took the Villanova job in 2022. Only days after Urgo was let go by Fordham, Turner announced his move to Florida. 'It's incredible that essentially at the same time, everything happened with me, that the position opened up,' Urgo said. 'I would never have gone back to high school basketball if it wasn't at Gonzaga.' There were over 40 applicants for the position, according to Gonzaga athletic director Terry Kernan. The interview process required numerous Zoom meetings with administrators and a committee of former Gonzaga players and graduates. A day of in-person vetting for finalists was Urgo's first chance in years to explore the campus, with his most recent trips limited to the parking garage and gymnasium. In March, Fordham practiced at Gonzaga ahead of the Atlantic 10 tournament at Capital One Arena. 'Him being a Gonzaga alum, we knew who Keith was. We'd been following him for the last 20 years,' said Kernan, who played for Urgo on Gonzaga's freshman team in 2004. 'He made it evident throughout the process that he is all in for Gonzaga and that he's here for the long haul, and he's super excited about this opportunity.' Urgo needed almost no time to come to a decision once the offer came along. By Tuesday night, he was speaking with his new team and the players' families. Practices will start next week ahead of a busy summer that will include recruiting showcase events, most of which Urgo plans to be on the sidelines for. He'll also be running the school's summer basketball camp — the place where it all began. 'The relationships that I have built with so many from Gonzaga shaped me into kind of who I've become and who I want to be," Urgo said. 'I take immense pride in the front of that jersey — there's nothing like it.'
Washington Post
31-03-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Steve Turner leaves Gonzaga for Florida basketball power Montverde
Steve Turner likes mementos. The longtime Gonzaga basketball coach has collected plenty in his years on Eye Street, stockpiling trophies, jerseys, basketballs — anything to remind him of good times past. He even makes scrapbooks for each season, knowing that the press clippings and photos can transport him back to those winters whenever he likes. Now, after 26 years at Gonzaga — 21 as head coach — Turner will pack those memories away and bring them with him to Florida. After spending nearly half his life at the Northwest Washington private school, Turner, 53, is leaving for Montverde Academy, a Florida program considered one of the best in the country. 'I never really thought this day would come. I've always felt that I have the best job in the country here at Gonzaga,' Turner said. 'Being a part of this community, knowing these kids and this staff — this was home.' Turner said the opportunity came together quickly over the past two weeks. He recently flew to Florida for a visit and came away impressed at the school's operation beyond basketball. 'I've always been at a place where the whole school mattered,' Turner said. 'And if I was ever going to leave Gonzaga, it would have to be for a place like that. Once I was able to get that feeling from the community down there, it pulled me. … And I figured it's time for me to go out and do something I've always told my kids to do: be comfortable being uncomfortable.' The school recently announced that coach Kevin Boyle was leaving for Ohio's Spire Academy after 14 years at the helm. Boyle won eight of the past 12 national high school championships with Montverde, coaching NBA-bound stars such as Joel Embiid, Cade Cunningham and Cooper Flagg. '[Turner's] deep appreciation for the value of a college preparatory school environment and his commitment to nurturing student-athletes makes him a perfect fit for Montverde Academy,' Montverde Head of School Jon Hopman said in a statement. 'Coach Turner is what we call a transformational coach and mentor — one that will have a positive influence on his players … and the broader school community.' Turner took over Gonzaga's varsity team in 2004, inheriting a proud and successful program from longtime coach Dick Myers. Under Turner's leadership, the Eagles garnered national acclaim. But the coach, a Blair alum, always cared most about winning in his hometown. A fiery competitor, he relished the intensity of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, one of the country's most talented and competitive high school basketball leagues. 'There is nothing like the rivalries of the WCAC,' Turner said. 'Unless you're a part of it you won't understand it. I'll miss those packed houses and those teams. Fans going at me. I loved it.' He won the first of his four WCAC titles in 2008. He was named Gatorade's national coach of the year in 2016 and The Washington Post's All-Met Coach of the Year in 2019. He leaves Gonzaga with a record of 497-176 and a broad network of alumni playing across all levels of basketball. 'He's been one of the staples of the basketball scene in the DMV,' said Sidwell Friends Coach Eric Singletary, who previously served as an assistant under Turner. 'It's hard to think of Gonzaga without thinking of Steve Turner.' As his own program climbed the local and national ladders over the past decade, Singletary has had to face his former boss in several high-stakes meetings. A few weeks ago, Gonzaga topped Sidwell to win the D.C. State Athletic Association championship and snap the Quakers' streak of three straight titles. The win was Turner's third and final D.C. state crown. 'When you play a Steve Turner team, you know that because of his competitiveness his team is going to be competitive and well prepared,' Singletary said. 'You're going to face a team with an unbelievable tradition, so they believe they should win every time they play. You have to beat them because they're not going to beat themselves.' Turner produced a steady stream of Division I players over the years, molding All-Met talents Tyler Thornton (Duke), Kris Jenkins (Villanova) and Chris Lykes (Miami). 'He's a legend,' said Terrance Williams II, who played for Gonzaga from 2016 to 2020 and is now at USC. 'He leaves a legacy at Gonzaga. … I think when people talk about his teams, they'll say we were disciplined. We stayed within a system, and it worked.' This season, the Eagles were led by a starting lineup of five Division I-bound seniors. The Eagles (29-5) finished as D.C. state champions, WCAC runners-up and the No. 2 team in The Washington Post's local rankings. Turner was named WCAC coach of the year for a sixth time. 'Outside of all the accolades, his teams always stayed together and played gritty basketball,' senior Nyk Lewis said. 'You always knew we were going to want it more than the other team.' Turner said he will finish out the school year at Gonzaga before heading south. 'I'm looking forward to really saying goodbye to people, not just packing up and leaving,' Turner said. 'That way I can make it clear to them that I'm gone but I'm not. I'm just a phone call away.'
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
London sweeps British Kebab Awards with 10 wins for top restaurants and takeaways
We all know London does kebabs well but now eight city spots can officially say they are the best of the best. The 13th annual British Kebab Awards saw takeaways, restaurants and chefs from every corner the capital take home top gongs for their high-quality food and dedication to the industry. Taking place at the Park Plaza Westminster Hotel yesterday (February 25), it was a big night in particular for Enfes Ocakbasi in Green Lanes, which was crowned Best Newcomer just three months after opening. It and sister restaurant of the same name in Enfield specialise in charcoal grilled meats served alongside Turkish spirit Raki. Not content with just one award, North London also received prizes for best regional restaurant, best shawarma, best takeaway, best supplier/manufacturer and chef of the year, with full details listed below. Each category was awarded by a panel of judges made up by the likes of restaurateur Mustafa Topkaya, Unite's Steve Turner, radio host Lucy Horbin and Sharon Hodgson MP. READ MORE: Enjoy 90 days of deals on your favourite dishes and days out with tastecard READ MORE: Marks and Spencer's £30 beauty box includes a full-size Clinique eye serum worth £35 They couldn't decide on London's best takeaway so both Hackney's Best Turkish Kebab and Wallington's Wallington Express are now proud titleholders. Overall, it was a successful night for 26 hospitality venues from as far away as Glasgow, Dorset and Liverpool, as well as Southwark, Whitechapel and Knightsbridge. Ibrahim Dogus, founder of the British Kebab Awards, said: 'The winners of the 2025 British Kebab Awards show the strength of the industry, with great restaurants, vans and takeaways in every corner of the nation. Chefs are constantly reinventing and refining the classic kebab, meaning there's something new from each one of this year's worthy winners. 'This year's winners represent everything that makes the British kebab industry special - diversity, quality, tradition, and innovation, and we're proud to be highlighting the leaders in this great industry." Here's all the London restaurants, takeaways and chefs that won big at the British Kebab Awards: Best kebab restaurant in North and West London WINNER Melissa's Restaurant (Edgware) Best kebab restaurant in South and East London WINNER - EV Restaurant (Southwark) WINNER - Efes Restaurant (Whitechapel) RUNNER UP - Lara Grill (Dagenham) Best kosher shawarma restaurant/takeaway WINNER - MAZAL (Camden Town) Best newcomer restaurant in London WINNER- Enfes Ocakbasi (Green Lanes) Best takeaway in London WINNER - Wallington Express (Wallington) WINNER - Best Turkish Kebab (Stoke Newington) Chef of the year WINNER - Mazlum Demir of SkewdKitchen (Barnet) Fine dining restaurant WINNER - The Mantl (Knightsbridge) Supplier and manufacturer award WINNER - Best Catering (Tottenham) Stay up to date about London's hottest events, latest restaurant openings, and best deals with our Going Out Out newsletter. Sign up HERE!
