By Mark Gregory
@Hear_The_Beard
mark@buglenewspapers.com
In a recent study published by Lateral Sports and its HS Athlete College Guide, Plainfield North leads all Illinois High Schools with 86 fall athletes currently on collegiate rosters.
The study looked at all schools in the country and noted which high schools produced the most athletes in football, women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer. It reviewed all rosters on NCAA Division-I, Division-II, Division-III and NAIA programs.
North is the fifth-highest among state leaders. It also posts 55 non-football fall athletes playing in college, also the fifth best among each state’s best.
“That’s a real testament to our coaches and our teachers in our school,” said North athletics director Ron Lear. “When we have our national signing days, that is why we honor all of our kids, Division-I, II, III and NAIA because it doesn’t matter what level they go to, we want to see them play at the next level and that is the goal of all PNHS athletes.”
Lear said the list shows the staff at North is doing what they have been brought in to do.
“My job is to try and find the absolute best people for our kids. Someone that relates to kids well and someone that has the drive to push kids, yet treat them the right way. Our coaches make those phone calls to colleges to get the kids to the next level,” he said. “Look at the coaches and what they have done, it is tremendous. Whether it is football and what Tim Kane has done or volleyball and Tracey Marshall or what Steve Berry and Jane Crowe with soccer, if you look at the coaches and what they have done and the tremendous work they have, it is not a surprise we are at the top. We have a group of people who are highly successful here and have done a great job with our kids.”
The Tigers not only try and teach the student-athletes well, but highlight the success of the upper classmen for lower classes to see.
“We do as much as we can to spotlight kids here,” Lear said. “We have boards in our athletic hallway that have pictures and names of kids playing in college and 3.5 and above GPA athletes and a list like this shows that work is paying off.”
What Lear said is even better than the North athletes going to college for sports, but the success they have once arriving.
“I am not only proud that they are going, but they are succeeding and in the classroom and on the field,” he said. “That is a compliment to all the people we have here and the hard work they have put in – not only coaches, but teachers and administrators. We have a goal here to help kids the best we can and try and put them in the best place to be successful later in life.”