Tony Huml is the Founder and President of Close The Gate Hoops, Co-Founder of Janesville Basketball Association, Founder of Local Vision TV, a former Social Studies Teacher, Forward Janesville’s 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year, and a 2017 Janesville Hall of Fame Inductee.
Tony attended Harrison Elementary School for kindergarten, then grades 1-8 at St Mary’s School in Janesville. He went to Marshall Jr. High, then graduated from Craig High School with the Class of 1988.
Throughout school, Tony developed a passion for basketball. He was thankful to all the excellent, influential coaches, who encouraged him, keeping him engaged. They were Dennis Gallagher, Jim Bohlman, Ralph Eckert, David Martinson, and Bob Suter, assisted by Tom Neuenschwander. Coaches Suter and Neuenschwander became lifelong friends and mentors to Tony. Eventually, Coach Suter became an assistant coach for Craig’s Varsity team and coached Tony’s son, Jack, who had his own successful high school basketball career. Jack graduated in 2019 and now plays for the University of Wisconsin – River Falls Falcons.
Through the guidance of his coaches, Tony learned the value of we over me, and that the team is more important than any individual, a concept that would transfer later in life to Tony’s classroom, workplace, and relationships.
Tony continued playing basketball in college, winning the Wisconsin Junior College State Championship as a member of Coach Dave Gibbs U-Rock Unicorns. He was then recruited to play at the University of Minnesota – Morris.
