Durfee High School honors legendary coach Thomas Karam before varsity game
FALL RIVER, Mass. (WJAR) — A longtime former Durfee High School basketball coach was honored ahead of Tuesday’s varsity game.
Thomas Karam, known by many as "Skip," died on Sunday at 91, according to his obituary.
After graduating from Durfee High School in 1953, Karam went on to coach basketball there for 36 years.
He became the first coach in Massachusetts history to achieve 500 career wins. In total, he amassed 659 career wins.
"He always emphasized that you represent your family and you represent the city, and 'I'm not going to let you do that badly,'" said Paul Peloquin, who was an athletic trainer at Durfee High School.
"He was fair. He treated the kids well. Durfee pride, you see that everywhere, that meant something to him," said Tom Burns, who was an athletic director and coach at Durfee High School.
Karam also coached Chris Herren who was drafted into the NBA in 1999. Karam has also been inducted into several hall of fames in the region.
His photo can be seen just outside Durfee's gym which has been dedicated in his honor. Karam's name placard also hangs in Durfee's own hall of fame.
"He demanded your best every time out there, and if he didn't get it, you were going to hear about it, but his teams bought in and that's why they were so good," said Durfee High School's athletic director, Brad Bustin. "He's the greatest of all time."
