Euclid Alumni Take 5 with Patrick Vuyancih '82

Pat Vuyancih, Euclid High School Class of 1982, seen here as Color Analyst for the Cleveland State Vikings' Men's Basketball Team on ESPN. 

After graduation from Euclid High School, Pat attended both Lakeland Community College and Cleveland State University. While at Lakeland, his former basketball coach at Euclid High, Harold "Doc" Daugherty, launched his coaching and teaching career when he asked Pat to coach the 8th grade boys basketball team at Central Middle School. He moved up to coach freshman basketball at Euclid the following year. After earning an Associate's Degree from Lakeland, Pat transferred to CSU and was fortunate to earn a basketball scholarship after "walking on." He played on the, now legendary, CSU "Sweet 16" team that upset legend Bobby Knight and the his University of Indiana Hoosiers. After graduating from CSU, Pat began a long and successful career as a teacher, coach and administrator, many of those years spent in the Euclid City Schools. He has now come full circle, working at CSU, forming and coordinating partnerships with Greater Cleveland schools for the College of Education. Pat aslo works as the Color Analyst for the CSU Vikings' Men's Basketball Team on ESPN with Al Pawloski, and served recently as the Special Assistant to the Athletic Director at CSU. Pat is most proud to say that he is married to his college sweetheart, Aurea. They reside in Euclid where he and Aurea have raised their four children, and are now helping to raise a grandson.

1. Where did you grow up in Euclid?

I grew up on Richards Avenue, off East 250th Street. My mom, oldest daughter, and grandson still reside there. My favorite memories on Richards were of playing street tackle football, from telephone pole to telephone pole; and pickup basketball with the older guys in my backyard...I was the only kid on the block with a hoop on the garage, so they had to let me play. But I also vividly remember how in the '70's we would cut through the old Briardale Projects property before it was converted to the golf course, to go swimming at Memorial Pool. It was like walking through a wasteland of old pipes and toilets. 

2. Where did you go to school before Euclid High?

I attended Upson for Kindergarten, then St. William's from first through eighth grade. I attended St. Joe for ninth and tenth, then transferred to Euclid High for my final two years. I was very nervous about the transfer as I was the first kid from my family to attend public school. I only knew a handful of kids from my neighborhood who were at Euclid High, and the school was huge. I remember being lost the entire first week of school my junior year, and "Doc" made me do pushups because I was late to gym class. I tried to explain to him that I didn't know my way around and had just transferred from St. Joe. That was a mistake...he added an extra ten pushups....I found it to be quite hilarious when you considered the intense rivalry that existed between both schools at that time. It's ironic that the only discipline I ever received was from the coach I would eventually play for and who would become a second father/mentor to me!

3. Which teacher or class a Euclid do you most remember and why?

My favorite teachers were my English teachers at Euclid High School, especially Barb Ramlow and Bob Petrovic. Barb was always smiling and so friendly, always on her feet teaching and engaging us. Bob Petrovic was, in my mind, one of the greatest teachers who ever lived! He always prompted us to write with topics tailored to our interests, and he provided immediate feedback, and plenty of it. I vividly recall anticipating him returning my graded work because his feedback was so insightful and helpful in making me a better writer. 

4. Did you have a favorite spot in Euclid, and what did you like about it?

My favorite spot in Euclid was Upson Playground, where I first learned how to compete in sports. I served as playground director at Upson while in college, and helped organize activities for the kids every day, but especially basketball competitions.  We attracted athletes like Elvis Grbac, Joe Jurevicius, Bobby Daugherty....all great athletes, and many others from around and outside Euclid who ventured over to our cruddy asphalt court to test their mettle against us. I'm very proud that from this neighborhood we produced some of the greatest basketball talent that ever played at Euclid, St. Joe, and in Ohio, including Dave Wojciechowski, Nick Kupetz, AJ Parker, Joe Meden...my younger brothers Jimmy, Johnny, Billy, recent VASJ Coach "Babe" Kwasniak, and 1998 "Ohio Player of the Year" Emmanuel Smith. People from the neighborhood would actually sit all around the court just to watch the fierce, high level of competition. About thirty of us from that neighborhood still get together once a year at AJ Parker's house in Willoughby Hills to participate in a "Tip-In" Tournament and celebrate those wonderful days at Upson. 

5. What, if anything, about your Euclid High experience would you do over?

My Euclid High student-athlete experience was so exceptional that I honestly can't think of anything I might do over again. Our '82 basketball team still holds school records for wins in a season (21) and wins in a row (19), and I cheered my classmates on to the '82 AAA State Baseball Championship, attending almost every game. I do remember getting too cocky and big-headed during basketball season and I broke up with my then-girlfriend in a very abrupt way that hurt her.  I wish I hadn't done that, but overall I enjoyed every minute at Euclid and wish I could do it over again. I still have lifelong friendships with my classmates and teammates that I wouldn't trade for the world. The best decision my family and I ever made was to make me a Panther-4-Life!