New ROHS Basketball Coach Grateful for 'Ideal Opportunity'

When Mike Massucci welcomes parents and their kids , it will be an introduction of sorts for the new varsity coach at .

For the past 16 years, Massucci headed up  program. He retired in April and was looking forward to taking time off away from the sport when an "ideal opportunity presented itself."

"I was blessed because Shrine was a special place," he said. "And when I stepped down I was thinking, 'You know, I love this game so much, if something special opens up I might take it' and sure enough something did."

The Royal Oak boys team opens the season Dec. 6 at Rochester Stoney Creek. Its first home game of the season is against rival Berkley on Dec. 9. The inaugural home game for Massucci will be a time to sew together the history of Royal Oak's former high schools — Dondero and Kimball.

"We are going to honor all the Kimball and Dondero basketball coaches," Massucci said. "One of the things you do when you get into a new situation is honor what's happened. We want them to be a part of what's going on."

Massucci will have time to fully become a Raven, as his former team is not on  Royal Oak's schedule this upcoming season. He still has strong ties to families and friends he built relationships with at Shrine for the better part of two decades.

"Seasons come to an end but relationships continue. I know I still have relationships with all those people over at Shrine and I'm excited about a new season at Royal Oak."