Tom Parker ’10 Takes the Reins as New Head Basketball Coach

OHIO CITY, OH – Saint Ignatius High School has found its new leader for the varsity basketball program as Tom Parker ’10 will take the reins of the Basketball Cats. 

“This is a dream come true. I am so grateful for the opportunity to lead this great program,” says Parker. “Coach Cam left some big shoes to fill. I don’t think it’s my job to be like Cam, but it is my job to sustain the success of this program and continue having us play at an elite level. I am excited to help these kids grow through the game of basketball.”

Parker has been a key figure in the Saint Ignatius basketball program for several years, beginning with his high school career as a three-year varsity letter-winner. 

“Tom is the right person at the right time for this position. It is about putting our young men in the best possible situation to succeed, in sports and their lives, and Tom fits all of that,” explains athletic director Rory Fitzpatrick ’88. “As athletic director, I look forward to supporting Tom as he continues to build on the excellence and success of the program.”

Parker’s coaching tree begins with his freshman year coaches, Stephen Becker ’96 and Jason Reed ’95. Entering his sophomore year wearing the Blue and Gold, Parker earned a spot on the varsity roster, guided by legendary coach Brian Becker ’77.  

“At Saint Ignatius and playing under coach Becker, I learned what it meant to earn your keep. My freshman year was influential with coach  [Stephen] Becker and Reed. They took me under their wing and to this day still coach me,” explains Parker. “Coach [Brian] Becker gave me an opportunity. He challenged me and showed what it took to become elite.”

After the 2007-08 season, coach Becker would step down to focus on family, and Sean O’Toole ’87 took the keys of the program for Parker’s junior and senior seasons at Saint Ignatius. 

“I don’t know any coach who prepares like Coach O’Toole; he made me college-ready,” says Parker. “The whole coaching staff taught me what it meant to be an Ignatius Man; they taught me how to be elite and to have a standard of excellence.”

Parker graduated from Saint Ignatius in 2010 and earned the program’s Defensive Player of the Year honors. “In my opinion, and I don’t want to make enemies, Tom is one of the top two defenders I have seen play at Saint Ignatius, the other is Jonathan Gannon ’01,” says Fitzpatrick. “He is a run-through-a-brick-wall type of person; he will do whatever it takes to win.”

Parker continued his basketball journey at Lake Erie College in Painesville. Competing for the Storm, Parker earned his degree in business and communication and graduated in 2014. 

Since beginning his coaching career in 2015, Parker has dedicated himself to youth development. In 2017, he founded ‘Push Thru Athletics,’ a program aimed at helping young athletes build skill and character. When Coach Cam Joyce was hired in 2019, he named Parker the Junior Varsity Head Basketball Coach.  

“Cam is a basketball savant and has a passion for the game; I learned about the game from Cam and got advice on what to do and what not to do. And then, more than anything, watch him lead by example with the players. Working with Cam for five out of the six years has been very developmental for me,” Parker explains. “When I got the news that I’d be the next head coach, he called me, and I just had to thank him. Thank him for welcoming me back to this family. He could have picked anybody to be his JV head coach, but he chose me.”

Coach Cam came to Saint Ignatius, knowing Coach Parker, because they played against each other at the collegiate level when Northwood University faced Lake Erie College. “It’s funny, I did not like playing against Tom because of his aggressive defense,” says Joyce. “When I first got here, I sat down with him, and he was open to coaching any level, so I told him I wanted him as the JV coach.”

From 2019 to 2022, Parker led the team to an impressive 54-7 record, including a historic 21-0 undefeated season in 2021-22—the first in the program’s modern era. Parker would also be a varsity assistant for the 2021 and 2022 Regional Champion Wildcats. 

“The one issue Tom mulled over after taking the Euclid job was not being around if we won a State Championship. He would always tell me that it would be the Class of 2024 to win a title,” explains Joyce. “To have Tom back for the 2024 season was special because this program means so much to him.”

Parker was appointed Head Basketball Coach at Euclid High School for the 2022–23 season before returning to Saint Ignatius as Director of Player Development for the 2023–24 State Champion Wildcats. Most recently, Parker helped guide the Wildcats to a 2025 Regional Championship.

“Tom understands what it’s like to coach at every level; he knows what it is like to lose, but knows what it’s like to get to the top of the mountain,” says Fitzpatrick. “I am super thankful for what Cam has done for this program, and the fact that Cam and Tom have worked closely with each other makes me feel he is perfect for our program and putting the kids in the best possible situation to succeed.”

The 2025-26 campaign will begin in November, when Parker will debut as the Wildcats’ head coach. But he knows that the work starts now with off-season training in full swing. “I hope the kids are as excited as I am. I hope to create memorable experiences for them through basketball and teach them how special this school is,” says Parker. “I feel a true sense of responsibility to continue our tradition of excellence that Cam is leaving.” 

On Thursday, May 8, Saint Ignatius announced the hire to the basketball program in the Companions Center. Coach Cam, who will be Loyola’s (CA) basketball coach in Los Angeles, was thrilled to see his former assistant take over as head coach. 

“Tom brings a genuine energy that is receptive to the kids. He is also open to hearing players out, which gives them a comfort level,” Joyce says. “I’m ecstatic for Tom and the coaching staff to remain here. We have great coaches on all levels, and he will excel.”

After the introduction, Tom told the players, “Let’s get to work.”