Game On – February 2024

    The Chris Lang memorial plaque is appropriately placed inside the “Matadome” at Miramonte High. Just above the slightly ajar, taped-up Xerox posting of the latest junior varsity tournament schedule, bearing Chris’s name: “The Third Annual 2023 Chris Lang Memorial Basketball Tournament, Dec. 27-29.”
    It’s just to the side of the school’s pledge to make the best global citizens possible through good sportsmanship. And in the eye-shot of his good friends still coaching basketball from the bench, comfortably to the left of all the home court fans from the community. And, of course, proudly facing the American flag.
    All things important to “The Langer.”
    Chris was one of the first dads I met when I moved to Orinda. We were both picking up our kids from Glorietta and he made a point to introduce himself to the new guy. We had a good chuckle when we ran into each other again, minutes later, entertaining our kids inside the old Burger King kids’ play area.
    I came to know him as a top-notch cornhole player, who could usually beat me decisively. Then he’d be sure to tell me how well he thought I’d played.
    Most knew him as a community leader and outstanding basketball coach. And, of course, husband to Kirsten, and father to Spencer and Julia.
    He was, what I would call, a wheel hub of a man – a center to which all things seem to connect, who drove all elements to a forward action. Whether in conversation, or on the court, he was that hub. Likability was just one of his superpowers that I’m sure made him such a great coach. And a great friend. Everyone just wanted to be on his team.
    A tournament of different schools coming together each year seems such an appropriate way to remember Chris. In the last tournament, Miramonte had the lead against Salesian but couldn’t hang on to their first-half dominance and ended up finishing fourth overall. Respectable. But winning was not the only goal of a Chris Lang tournament. He’d probably point out new acquaintances were made. Teams learned from how they worked together. Parents got to see their kids play. And perhaps, like in life, someone might have learned to make the most of his time on the court before the clock runs out.
    For those who did not know Christopher Gordon Lang, you missed a good one. He passed away suddenly from a heart attack on May 2, 2021. For those of you who did know him, please, I urge you to come watch a home Matadors basketball game. Because I’d swear the flooring Chris played such a big part in getting redone for the team makes the kids’ sneakers screech differently. I think they now squeak his name. You have to hear it for yourself. It’s not the “Erch-chirp, chirp” you’re accustomed to hearing basketball shoes make. It’s a clear “ Erch-chris! Chris!”
    I’d swear I hear it.