A State Coaching Organization that is intent on representing all coaches of the state of Illinois. Founded 1928; continuous service to date. National Affiliation - (NHSACA) National High School Athletic Coaches Assoc., (NOCAD) National Association of Coaches Association Directors, (NHSFCA) National High School Football Coaches Alliance   

Hello Everyone and Welcome to the ICA Website!

 First and foremost, the Board of Directors of the Illinois Coaches Association and I hope that you and your family are safe and healthy during this very difficult and most challenging time. I have been agonizing over how to open this edition of the TORCH. I have been searching for the right words that would be helpful and encouraging. Then I realized that I was searching for the right words to address coaches, who by nature encourage, motivate, support and innovate on a daily basis. Your profession as coaches of young people has never been more important any time in history!

Over the past several months, you all have experienced dramatic change to your everyday personal lives as well as your professional lives as coaches, mentors and leaders of our student-athletes. From changes in sports seasons, changes in practices and changes in communication with your athletes and assistant coaches. But if coaches are anything, they are resilient; if anyone can positively lead during these trying times, it is our high school coaches. Your athletes need much more right now then just the X’s and O’s of your sport. Everyone deals with change in different ways; while one athlete is rolling with the punches of changes, another athlete is struggling and desperately needs understanding and support. Try to remember that as an adult what may seem like a small problem to you may be a huge problem to one of your kids. Now is the time to coach like you have never coached before!

As we continue to navigate through this school year and sports seasons, the ICA would like to  thank you for all the hard work you are putting in to making sure your family, peers and student-athletes are taken care of and reminding them that they have your support. I would like to borrow some insight from a very good friend of mine, Rob Younger, the Director of the Oregon Athletic Coaches Association. Rob said, “How during these difficult times are you adding value to others’ lives? Leadership author, John Maxwell, says, “People who add value to others do so intentionally. To add value, leaders must give of themselves, and that rarely occurs by accident.” If there is one way to increase your influence, especially when others are struggling, it is through encouragement. As coaches, think about how we can show grace, compassion and encourage the people we encounter each day.”

Now more than ever, we are excited to share this edition of the TORCH with you. This is the beginning of a new “facelift” for the TORCH; moving forward  we are going to dedicate the newsletter by adding a wide range of articles and resources to help you with your athletes and teams. Check out the article submitted by Marsha Potthoff, the Principal at McHenry West High School, that she wrote to her faculty and staff to help them through this school year. Most of us are teachers as well as coaches, and I thought her letter brought great insight from another perspective of coaching and encouraging her team.

We are also excited to welcome Hewitt Tomlin as one of our new partners. Hewitt is the Co-founder and CEO of TeamBuildr, and we will be including articles from his TeamBuildr blog.

I would be remiss if I did not send out a huge thank you to Craig Anderson, the Executive Director of the IHSA, and his staff for their tireless efforts and daily hard work as the continue to work to get the athletes and coaches in Illinois back on their fields and courts. The ICA fully supports Mr. Anderson and the IHSA; we understand how difficult their job is right now. We will all get through these changing, difficult months ahead, but only if we all work together for our athletes. Your kids need you as a coach now more than ever before.

Drew Potthoff
Executive Director
Illinois Coaches Association

Coaches, in the end, our career W/L record just won’t matter. 
It won’t be what we will want others to remember us by. 
All that will matter will be who we helped, how we went about it
& the lasting impression we left on those who crossed our path.

Live each day with that in mind.

• The ICA Newsletter ‘The Torch’ times a year
• $2,000,000 Liability Insurance Policy
• Discount on Accident/Medical Insurance for participants in sports camps (Available to Illinois Coaches Association Members Only)
• Illinois Coach of the Year Awards and membership in the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA)
• Eligibility of Son or Daughter to Compete for one of five $750 Scholarships Annually
• Eligibility of Son or Daughter to compete for our new “Memorial Scholarship” for $500
• Eligibility to nominate athletes for the ICA/Shrine Football All Star game & All Star Baseball game
• Sponsorship of All Star Activities in Football and Baseball since 1975 
• ICA Golf Clinic and Golf Hall of Fame Banquet
• Serve the Illinois High School Association by helping in various activities. 

High School Head Softball Coach
Sikeston, Mo

Apply at www.sikestonr6.org 

Monticello Head Girls Basketball

- Interested applicants should send application, resume and letters of reference to Dan Sheehan, Athletic Director at dan.sheehan@sages.us

Coaches,

It is with great enthusiasm that your Illinois High School Football Coaches Association (IHSFCA) offers our first ever Virtual Clinic to be held Tuesday, December 8th through Saturday, December 12th! This will be in place of our in person clinic in the spring since we all hope to be playing!

YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS THIS! 

We are so thankful and blessed as we have over 100 champion and legendary speakers from every college level (FBS, FCS, D2, NAIA and D3), as well as, champion and legendary high school coaches from all over the country!  Kurt Warner, NFL Hall of Fame and Super Bowl Champion, will speak as well as Big 10 head coaches (Pat Fitzgerald NW and Mike Locksley Maryland).  Former Illini Head Coaches Lou Tepper, Ron Turner, and Ron Zook will also speak!  We have a strand of former Illini players that are now head coaches in Illinois (I).  These are only a few of the highlights! 

All of the zoom clinic presentations will be recorded, so if you are unable to watch them live you will be able to watch them later!

When you register early, you will have access to all presentations for only $75.00! After the early registration deadline it will be $100.00.

Click on this link to start your experience!  You will be amazed!  PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR ASSISTANT COACHES AND OTHER OUT OF STATE COLLEAGUES.

https://ihsfca.coachesclinic.com/

If you need to pay by school check for IHSFCA Virtual Clinic please mail to:

Kevin Crandall
1137 Barbary Ct.
Rochelle, Illinois 61068
attn. IHSFCA

Make check payable to:  IHSFCA

Thanks!
Dave Jacobs and George Turnbull/IHSFCA

Brien Dunphy         Athletic Director       Peoria High School

Tim Funkhouser   Baseball                           Edwardsville High School

  David Power         Girls Basketball          Fenwick High School 

John Naisbitt           Tennis                             Hinsdale Central HS

 Eight finalists from across the nation, in nineteen recognized sports categories will be honored during the National Coach of the Year Awards Banquet which will take place at the NHSACA’s national convention in Linocln, Nebraska on the evening of July 23, 2020. The highlight of the banquet will be the naming of the NHSACA national coach of the year in nineteen recognized sports categories.

All Illinois coaches were nominated for this national honor by the Illinois Coaches Association. The selection is based on longevity, service to high school athletics, honors, championship years, and winning percentage. The nominees and finalists are evaluated by experts in the field of coaching using a sport-specific rubrics to assign points in each category.

 NHSACA is the oldest coaches association in the nation formed by coaches, for coaches, and has been recognizing national coaches of the year since 1978. 

West Team
Ken Leonard- HFC   Sacred Heart Griffin
Todd Chance              Sacred Heart Griffin
Todd Hollis                  Elmwood (Brimfield Coop)
Brian Melvin              Burlington Central
Jack Cornell               Quincy Notre Dame
Tim Heinz                    Illinois Valley Central-Chillicothe

East Team
Albert Cruse-HFC      Chicago Public League
Josh Jostes                      Maroa-Forsyth
Michael Harrison        Belleville East
Matt Music                     Olney Richland County
Dan Wetzel                    Herscher
Rich McMahon            Rochester (former PORTA HFC)

Wearable Technologies Playing an Increasing Role in Athlete Performance Assessment

Article submitted by:
Ken Jakalski, Boys Track Coach at Lisle High School. 

• To Expand All Star Competition to include other sports 
• Continue on-going professional relationship with existing coaches groups throughout the state and nation 
• Improve opportunities for all athletes and coaches throughout Illinois 
• Continue expansion of Awards Program to honor deserving coaches and athletes 

ILLINOIS COACHES ASSOCIATION

Serving All Coaches in All Sports
Email: soboad@yahoo.com

Twitter: @ICA_Illinois

Friday, May 21, 2021 & Saturday, May 22, 2021

The Den at Fox Creek & The Doubletree Hotel, Bloomington

Emily Pedersen       Antioch High School

Charles Neville        Canton High School

Addison McMahan     Porta High School

Mary Thomas         Geneseo High School

Noelle Schacht        St. Thomas More HS

For the twenty-third year that the ICA has  scholarships available to a son or daughter of a member.  Students compete for one of five ICA $750 scholarships every year. Also this year we start a new scholarship offering the Tim "Mo" Caldwell Memorial Scholarship for $500.

Students application process includes an essay, academic standing and recommendations by school personnel. The screening process is handled by the ICA Board of Directors.

Application Deadline is April 5, 2021 for ICA Scholarships

Application Deadline is January 25, 2021 for the Tim "Mo" Caldwell Memorial Scholarship

The ICA is happy to welcome Global sourcing International, LLC as a new corporate sponsor that can provide Personal Protection Equipment for high school athletes.
For More Information See links below