Friends of Basketball

Al Gonnerman

Year Inducted: 2024

Category: Friends of Basketball

Schools / Organizations:
Yorkville High School
Aurora East High School

Biography:  Al has been the one and only “voice of the Lady Foxes” for Yorkville High School girls’ basketball games. Al is a retired High School Mathematics teacher who taught for 54.5 years. He started his career at East Aurora where he taught for 6.5 years, he spent a few years in Florida and then finished his final 42.5 years of teaching at Yorkville High School! Al has been around since the beginning years of the Girls Basketball program. He was a part of the coaching staff for 4 years from 1979-1983. However, Al’s biggest contribution to the Girls’ Basketball Program at Yorkville was his ability to get an announcer for the girls’ games.  In 1999 Al went to the athletic director and asked why there was no announcer for the women’s games even though the men’s games had announcers. He followed that up with could he be the announcer? The AD agreed this was a wonderful ideal, and Al has been the announcer ever since! During his first 24 years,  Al only missed announcing a small handful of games mainly due to either health reasons or attending or leading a bible study class. In addition to announcing the girls’ basketball games, Al also announces the girls’ volleyball games at Yorkville. Al has been one of the biggest supporters of the Foxes Girls’ Basketball program.  He appreciated the game and helped fight for equal opportunities.