Iverson inducted into coaches' hall of fame

Dan Iverson rode momentum to his induction into the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

The same day the Naperville North girls cross country coach was enrolled among the seven-member class last Saturday at Oak Park-River Forest High School, one of his seniors, Harvard-bound Judy Pendergast, placed 11th among junior women at the Bupa Great Edinburgh Run in Scotland.

That came off Pendergast's fourth-place finish at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, eighth at the Nike Cross Nationals, a record-setting championship run of 15 minutes, 54 seconds at the IHSA Class 3A Cross Country Championships and her Class 3A 3,200-meter title last spring in Charleston.

But Iverson didn't merely catch lightning in a bottle. The Macomb High School graduate has refilled that bottle repeatedly over 22 years - 13 cross country trophies with five state championship teams and 27 medalists.

As distance guru for Huskies girls track coach Joanna Berg, Iverson has produced 16 medalists spanning relay and individual events, including the 2015 3,200 relay title team of Jenny Gibson, Elly DeTurris, Emory Griffin and Claire Hamilton.

"The record I think is probably something in itself that's impressive, but it's more than that, because I'd like to think that what we've accomplished in terms of places is a byproduct of doing it the right way and developing kids from freshman year, sophomore, junior and senior," said Iverson, who ran for Al Carius at North Central College.

Iverson was nominated jointly by Marty Bee, his predecessor at Naperville North, and fellow ITCCCA Hall of Famer Bruce Ritter. His large entourage included his wife, Laura, children, Colin and Lucy, Iverson's parents and brother, Naperville North athletic director Bob Quinn, principal Stephanie Posey and a litany of Huskies track and cross country coaches.

Honorees of the Dave Pasquini Award for assistant coaches included former Lisle assistant Kevin Bobbit and Downers Grove South's retiring Tim Pinnick. John Betteridge, a go-to starter for DuPage Valley Conference track meets, won a Distinguished Service Award.

These people got into the sport to serve others, not themselves.

"Any time you get recognition among the best at one of the things you've chosen to do for life, it's a pretty big honor," Iverson said. "I maybe even underestimated the honor it was till I went through the ceremony itself. It's proof that when you do it right it's really not about you at all, so it's a little bit 'fish out of water' when it is about you."

And about them

Naperville North will induct six individuals into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday. They are:

The late Bill Kavanagh, a behind-the-scenes supporter who, among other things, donated materials and labor for the first press box at Harshbarger-Welzel Field.

Kristen Knight Beglinger, a basketball star and soccer all-stater who started four years at Butler;

Paul Marshall, a two-time all-state Huskies defensive end who was a three-year starter at Illinois and a captain as a senior in 1996.

Fabio Minervini, an All-American in five swimming events from 1984-86 who competed at UCLA;

Mike VanGilder, a three-sport athlete who set pitching records at Southern Illinois and was a Cape Cod League All-Star in 1992 within the Mets organization.

Colleen Ward, the youngest of the lot having graduated from Naperville North in 2008; the decorated volleyball player was a first-team All-American at Illinois with four Sweet Sixteen NCAA Tournament appearances.

The ceremony will be held in the school auditorium at 5 p.m. Friday, and the inductees also will be recognized after the sophomore boys basketball game, about 6:30 p.m.

Take a hike

Wheaton North offensive line coach Paul Connor will offer his 21st annual football coaches clinic at the school Saturday, starting at 9 a.m.

Connor has assembled his usual eclectic panel of experts: the University of Iowa's Seth Wallace on punt protection; Miami (Ohio) coach Chuck Martin on the passing game; Barrington coach Joe Sanchez on tackling and takeaways; and Pearland (Texas) High coach Tony Heath on quarterback training.

This being too close to the date to preregister by mail, should coaches care to partake in the all-you-can-eat pizza buffet - scratch that - in the clinic, reach Connor at (630) 687-4779 or by email at Paul.Connor@cusd200.org. Cost is $30 per coach at the door.

Movin' on up

The 14-0 Benedictine University men's basketball team has achieved its highest national ranking in history, up a slot this week to No. 5 by D3Hoops.com.

Moving to 9-0 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, the Eagles can tie the program's best start with a win Thursday at Concordia-Chicago. If successful, Benedictine will then attempt to establish a new high-water mark at 16-0 at 2 p.m. Saturday in Lisle against Concordia-Wisconsin, which ended Benedictine's 2015-16 season in the NACC semifinals.

The Eagles' top-three scorers are DuPage County products. Tahron Harvey (Glenbard East), Michael Blaszczyk (Naperville Central) and Luke Johnson (Wheaton Academy) average between 14.9 and 12.8 points a game.

Talented and Luckey

Gary Luckey started the Wheaton Warrenville South girls soccer program in 1986, bridged the tenures of Tigers boys varsity coaches Frank Bucciferro and Guy Callipari, and has been named Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association assistant coach of the year on both the boys and girls sides.

On Friday he'll receive his highest honor yet, assistant coach of the year at the 2016 National Soccer Coaches Association of America Convention in Baltimore.

The West Chicago resident with the ZZ Top beard is in his last year as a District 200 social worker, which jibes with some of the key aspects he believes soccer teaches - discipline and teamwork.

"There's a lot of lessons to be learned," he said, "doing things you've not been asked to do before."

Brooke Bean, who owned WW South records for all-time goals and points upon graduating in 1997, then starred at Northwestern, said the two words she believes epitomize Luckey are caring and consistent.

"He is consistent in his demeanor and in his coaching - he's level-headed, thoughtful and encouraging, all of which are such a breath of fresh air in an age of demanding, hotheaded coaches," she said.

"He was a great coach to play for because he cared about us as people, and I know this is the way he coached year in and year out."

Luckey didn't know his former two-time all-stater had weighed in, but he would have agreed on that last quote. Building long-standing relationships is his favorite part of the sport.

"I believe that high school is about kids coming together, having an enjoyable experience," said Luckey, who favors the freshman level. "If I can make them successful on the athletic field and have them begin to form friendships and know what high school is about, soccer serves as that vehicle."

doberhelman@dailyherald.com

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