Rocky Hill High School Basketball Court to Be Named To Honor Sheila King's Brother

Thursday night at its meeting, the Rocky Hill Board of Education approved to proposal to re-name the basketball court at Rocky Hill High School after the late Tom McCabe, former Athletic Director at RHHS.

McCabe was 55 when he passed away in April of 2012 after a year-long battle with cancer.

"Shortly after he passed away we were approached by some people who really appreciated Tom and what he did in Rocky Hill and said they were going to make a suggestion to re-name the court at the high school," said McCabe's sister Sheila King, who like Tom is a Physical Education educator and coach at Berlin High School. "They told us there were some other names in the hat so it is great news to hear that they think enough of him to name the court for him."

The court will have "McCabe Court" emblazoned on it and there will also be a plaque near the entrance to the gym. There will be a naming ceremony in March or April.

According to King, her brother coached and taught at East Hampton High School, Glastonbury, New Britain High School and Southington. He coached baseball and girls basketball at East Hampton, was a highly-successful football coach at Glastonbury High School and also coached girl's lacrosse there before finding his "dream job" as Athletic Director at Rocky Hill.

McCabe was a baseball and basketball player at New Britain High School and then played at Central Connecticut. He was part of two state championships at NBHS.

"His passion was athletics and coaching," King said. "Rocky Hill was his dream job and he was on a roll with the program when he was diagnosed. He was my idol and was the reason I wanted to get into Physical Education and coaching."

King said her brother was a quiet person and it was not until his funeral that the family realized how many lives Tom had touched during his career.

"People couldn't and can't say enough nice things about him," King said. "We had so many tributes written about him and sent to us. We also met so many former students and athletes who said great things about him. He was a quiet person and never bragged about what he did. We found out how many people's lives he touched when he passed away."

McCabe left four children, Drew, 25, Chase, 21, Craig, 18 and Taryn, 15.

"There is no greater tribute to him to have his name on a court," King said. "To have his name on the court and up there on a wall where he coached sports and taught life lessons is the ultimate tribute. He'd be so honored and he'd probably be so embarrassed but it is the ultimate tribute."