Schaumburg's Macnider brothers honored

For close to 40 years, Jim and Jon Macnider have been the face of the Schaumburg boys and girls cross country teams.

On Thursday a name was added.

Before a crowd of friends, family and former runners, the Schaumburg Park District honored the two hall of fame coaches by dedicating and renaming the Saxons' home course the Macnider Cross Country Course at Hoover Park.

Legendary North Central College cross country and track coach Al Carius was in attendance to honor his two former runners.

“They are like my sons,” said a beaming Carius of Jim and Jon, who ran for North Central in the 1970s. “Really in life it's not what you accomplish, and their accomplishments are great, but it's the young men and women that you develop in the process. These guys had the right characteristics to do that.”

Jim coached the boys team for 37 years, leading the Saxons to 9 state trophies — including 3 state titles. He had 28 runners earn all-state honors.

Jon coached the girls team for 31 years, leading the Saxons to 5 state trophies — including 3 state titles. He coached 23 all-state runners.

But it wasn't the trophies or medals that impressed the Macniders, it was the sweat and tears left on the Hoover field day after day by the entire team from top runner to the last runner.

“It's everybody that ran,” said Jim Macnider. “It's the lessons that running can teach you. I can't tell you how many alumni guys have contacted me; they're 30, 40 and 50 years old now, but they all say that is the one thing that made me do what I do now so well. It's the hard work ethic that you get.”

Those are the lessons the Macniders learned from Carius that they have transferred to the Saxons' program.

“It started with him,” said Jon of the Carius influence on the brothers. “Coaching from the heart, run for fun, those are just some of the things I wanted to pass on. It's the joy you get from seeing each runner get a personal best that's as special as anything.”

The Macnider Cross Country Course measures 3.1 miles from start to finish.

It's not as easy to measure the distance that Jim and Jon Macnider have taken the Schaumburg cross country program.