Hoops ‘n’ Heels a step in the right direction
By Karie Angell Luc Contributor January 30, 2012 8:48AM
These boots are made for walkin'. Center, Northbrook's Melissa Wolf won best heels at the St. Norbert Hoops N' Heels mom/son outing Jan. 27. Heather Cassell (R) and Lorette Malek admire. Karie Angell Luc~for Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 3, 2012 8:23AM
Northbrook’s Melissa Wolf put her best foot forward at Friday night’s packed Glenbrook North High School varsity basketball game.
“I’m so excited,” laughed Wolf, a redhead, whose blonde boots could best those worn by singer Nancy Sinatra.
“I just happened to beat Lorette,” Wolf added. “She’s my heel nemesis. We have warring boots.”
Lorette Malek, a blonde in dark boots, wasn’t floored she didn’t win “Best Heels” at the Hoops N’ Heels Mom and Son Night Out sponsored by Northbrook’s St. Norbert School.
Both women enjoyed bragging rights — steppin’ out with best-ever souvenirs to boot: framed party favor photographs of mom with son on a keepsake photo opportunity night.
“He (her son) was excited about spending time with me tonight,” said Malek, whose son Gordie, 9, is a third-grader.
Malek’s daughter Nicole, 8, is a second grader. Both children attend Northbrook’s St. Norbert School.
“We (Gordie) talked about it on our way here,” said Malek.
“It’s our date, he was excited about mom and son time.”
Said Wolf of Hoops N’ Heels: “I love it, it’s awesome.
“There are daddy/daughter events but this is the only event of its kind,” Wolf added, who has two sons, Wyatt, 9, a third-grader, and Bryce, 7, a first grader, both at Winkelman School.
Approximately 170 Hoops N’ Heels ticket holders filled reserved balcony bleachers in a packed Spartans v. Deerfield High School showdown. Lines were ten thick at the concessions.
“This (Friday’s game) has been the most crowded all year,” observed Northbrook’s Jim Allen, longtime GBN Booster Club volunteer concessions griller.
Before the game, a Hoops N’ Heels party cost $40 ticket where each mom and son enjoyed disc jockey dancing and door prizes. Extra son? $10 per boy.
“You should see some of them bust a move on the dance floor,” said Northbrook’s Heather Cassell, event organizer.
It took one second for Cassell to identify the mom with best heels.
“She has the most fashionable heels,” answered Cassell, pointing to Wolf, Hoops N’ Heels publicity chair.
Cassell walked up to Wolf who sat on a first tier bleacher next to Malek.
Then — the big reveal. Wolf, looking like a surprised Miss America winner, brought her hands to her face, blushing — a redhead pretty in pink.
Is Wolf a fashionista?
“I don’t know if I am, I think I am,” she said.
“I would say I am,” said Malek.
“I aspire to be a fashionista,” Wolf said.
Meanwhile, Glenbrook North High School Athletic Director John Catalano shook his head over his umpteenth soda spill which could ruin a blonde boot by adding Dalmatian spots.
Does Catalano understand just the right shoe?
“I’m gonna go with football or wrestling shoes,” said Catalano, of heels overlooking hoops.
Catalano, who has two sons, John, 21, a Romeoville Lewis University senior, and Anthony, 17, a Chicago St. Patrick High School senior — wouldn’t dare to step out shoe shopping with his wife Cathy.
“She (Cathy) does wear heels,” said Catalano.
Of selecting his wife’s shoes: “I’ve been married a long time and I wouldn’t get close to that one.”
But Catalano stepped up with this: “(Hoops N’ Heels) was a very good event because you wonder how you can get boys involved with their moms.
“It’s very sharp, a great event.”
Would Catalano’s sons have danced with their mom Carol at Hoops N’ Heels?
“You know what, they would have,” Catalano said, nodding.
“At St. Pat’s, they have a mother/son dance coming up and oh yeah, they’ll go,” he said, about Anthony and Carol.
“It’s always a pretty good time.”
Northbrook’s Jack Howard, 10, a St. Norbert School fifth-grader, peered in the nose bleed bleachers over his mother Liz Howard.
“They don’t want to sit with their mothers,” said Jack’s mom. “They want to be with their friends.”
Jack did sit next to his mom for maybe one minute.
Mom, can I have money for candy at the concession stand?
Off Jack went.
“I gave him 10 bucks,” said Liz Howard. “And I want change,” she said, not metal change — but paper.
And as for her husband Mike and daughter Cate, 8, a St. Norbert third-grader, “Las Palmas (restaurant),” she said. “He’s (Mike) having margaritas and guacamole while I’m having pizza and diet Pepsi.”
What of her older son Nick, 11, a St. Norbert sixth grader?
“I mean, she’s OK,” said Nick, glancing at his mom Liz.
“But I prefer to sit with my friends.”
So much for special mom/son moments. Then again — the event lasted four hours — plenty of time for a souvenir snapshot.
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