PROVISO WEST HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT ORIGINATOR WALT SAWOSKO
 

Walt Sawosko
1926-2008

The original director of the Proviso West Holiday Tournament, Walt Sawosko, passed away in May at age 81 after a lengthy illness.  Sawosko was among the initial group of teachers when Proviso West first opened in the fall of 1958, after previously working at Proviso East.  Over the years, Walt coached five sports at the Hillside campus until his retirement in 1986.  He also was the chairman of Physical Education during the 1960's. 

Sawosko may be best known as the originator of the Proviso West Holiday Basketball Tournament.  Under his leadership the event started in 1961 with eight teams and expanded the next year to its present-day format of 16 schools.  The tournament achieved statewide recognition when three Proviso West Tournament teams won three straight State Tournament titles (Evanston 1967-68; Proviso East 1968-69 and Lyons Township 1969-70). 

"Walt certainly laid the groundwork for a great deal of the successes later to come", said Joe Spagnolo, who has been involved in the  Proviso West Tournament administration since 1981.