A Passion for Springfield College Runs in the Family
At right, Springfield College alumnus David DePasquale ’92 and his son Derek, Class of 2027.
By: Damon Markiewicz
Springfield College alumnus David DePasquale ’92 and his wife Jennifer had the opportunity to attend the 2026 Panini Hoophall Classic at Blake Arena and watch their son Derek serve as one of this year’s head supervisors during the biggest high school basketball showcase in the county. This year’s event was a little extra special for the entire family as Derek was one of the co-recipients of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Scholarship, placing a bow on a great weekend.
“I truly believe that strong leadership is so important, and having the ability to watch Derek be a leader at this year’s Hoophall was very special,” explained David, who was also a Sport Management major during his time as a student. “The College didn’t have the Hoophall event when I was a student, so I have explained to Derek how fortunate he is to have an event like the Hoophall on the Springfield College campus. From a parent and alumni perspective, I really feel the Hoophall experience prepares current students for exactly what they need as they graduate and network into the jobs in their field.”
Derek certainly agrees with his parents, and after spending the last five days working long hours with his classmates, his perspective of the Hoophall Classic very much concurs with the wisdom shared by his family.
“Being a part of the Hoophall for three straight years certainly provided me with learning moments that I know will help me after graduation,” explained Derek. “I feel very fortunate to have so much support from my parents, all of my Sport Management professors, and the Basketball Hall of Fame staff. There were so many people helping make the Hoophall experience enjoyable. As students, we always felt supported.”
As a junior in the Sport Management program, Derek has maximized what the Hoophall Classic has to offer from a student-learning perspective. Next, Derek is headed to Italy to study abroad this semester, which made attending this year’s event that much more meaningful for David and his family.
“This was probably the last time we will have the chance to watch Derek work Hoophall, so we wanted to make sure we were on campus,” added David. “We have always tried to let Derek find his own way at Springfield College, and we are certainly proud of him. I will say that in my years since I've left Springfield College, one thing I've come to learn throughout my career is, there's not enough good leaders in this world. And that's one thing I think Springfield College does better than anyone, and that is develop strong leaders. The Hoophall Classic experience is a prime example of allowing students to problem solve and think on their feet in a real-world setting. No other college can offer the Hoophall experience and the positive impact it has on students.”
The DePasquale family calls Silver Spring, Md. home, but during the Hoophall Classic weekend, it’s clear that Springfield College also feels very much like home.
“Springfield College has been one of the most influential and special places in my life,” explained David. “After I graduated, I moved down to the Washington, D.C. area and worked for the National Basketball Association’s Washington Wizards/Bullets. I met my wife in the D.C. area, and we made it home.”
As the years continued on and Derek started to look at potential colleges offering the Sport Management major, David clearly had a bias for Springfield College, but he tried really hard to keep his hands off and allow Derek to make his own decision.
“I really felt Springfield College was going to be the best environment for him,” explained David. “It's the best Sport Management program out there. I was thrilled he picked Springfield College. It also has provided opportunities for me to reconnect with the College.”
During this year’s event, the DePasquale family connected with multiple alumni throughout the weekend. Springfield College alumni and families are always willing to help the next generation of students, and Derek’s experience on campus has been filled with those examples.
“You can tell people do care about me on campus,” explained Derek. “Alumni care about the students. They care about how they are doing and succeeding. I feel like that's why it really was easy for me to be myself on campus.”
And as David mentioned to Derek, even before enrolling at Springfield College, there has always been an emphasis on relationship building and connecting with others.
“It’s been enjoyable to watch Derek carve out his own path at Springfield College,” added David. “I think he's done a really good job of that, and as parents, we are proud of that. We know that the hard work he put into the Hoophall will pay off down the road, and he will continue to find his way into the alumni network.”
And when David thinks about coming back to campus in the future, the opportunities to come back with Derek during Reunion Weekend are already on his mind.
“Reunion years are five years apart, so with me being Class of 1992 and Derek being the Class of 2027, we will fall into the same Reunion years,” concluded David. “We will be coming back to campus and staying connected together. We love all that Springfield College has to offer; it’s a special place.”
