Coaching keeps Hughes busy, and he wouldn't have it any other way

To say longtime Rosary girls golf coach Joe Hughes is a busy man might be a tad bit of an understatement.

Hughes, who along with his wife are the proud parents of four children ranging in age from 17 to 4, coaches three high-school sports at three different Fox Valley-area high schools.

You read that correctly.

Oh, and did I mention he teaches physical education at Bardwell Elementary School and Benavides STEAM Academy - both part of East Aurora School District 131.

The 39-year-old Hughes, a graduate of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Benedictine University (master's), has been Rosary's girls varsity golf coach for the last 11 years.

He's also the head sophomore girls basketball coach at Oswego, where he's in his third season, and he is the current JV softball coach at Kaneland. Hughes previously coached the frosh-soph girls basketball team for seven years at Rosary and either the frosh-soph or JV softball teams for eight years at the all girls Aurora-based high school.

"I'm not really sure there is a good answer to that," said Hughes when asked how the three-sport, three-school arrangement came about. "It's kind of what happened. I'm happy to be where I'm at. I love coaching golf at Rosary and I've loved coaching everything else at the other places I've been or am currently at. I've coached a lot of great kids and have been fortunate to coach with good assistant coaches and head coaches."

Hughes said he loves the fact he's able to work with all grade levels throughout the sports he coaches.

"I like having the huge differential in skills," he said. "I get to help the really good players get better and I get to help other players set goals and help them do what they need to do to get to those goals. I've had a lot of experience with the lower levels with the freshmen and sophomores and the experience with the varsity players."

Hughes, who directed the 2013 Rosary girls golf team to a state tournament appearance, isn't concerned about wins and losses.

"My coaching philosophy is to try to teach life lessons through sports like how to be a good teammate, be responsible and accountable in a safe environment where everybody gets to be part of the team," he stressed. "I don't preach wins and losses, but the team aspect. How to work hard for the team. It's part of being something bigger than yourself."

Hughes admits coaching three sports in three different seasons at three different schools is no walk in the park, particularly with increased off-season activities.

"It's very time-consuming," he said. "The one thing I've found is the more organized I am the easier things get. There are a lot of organizational skills needed with switching from teaching mainly K-1st all day at the elementary school and then switching to 17- and 18-year-olds. It's definitely a different process. I wouldn't say it's gotten tougher. I enjoy all of it. I enjoy the summer golf camp and having fun with summer basketball camp four or five days a week plus the shootouts and the softball camp and watching the girls' travel schedules. I usually can get to everything but the toughest part is that time management."

Hughes, who always has coached girls sports, said his coaching exploits would be impossible without the support of his family.

"My wife is very understanding," said Hughes, who lauded the three current coaching staffs and staffs of the past for their flexibility with practice schedules and practice assistance if needed. "She's the strength that keeps the family together. Sometimes I'll leave the house for school at 7 a.m. and not come back until 9 p.m. with coaching. The biggest thing for me is being able to get to everything and still being able to fulfill my responsibilities with my family and the sports I coach. I don't sell anything short with my family or the teams. That's also the most rewarding part if you think about it."

And Hughes has zero plans to slow down the pace anytime soon.

"Not in the near future," he said. "Absolutely not. I'm so fortunate to be in a position to have three different teams to coach in three really great programs. I work with great assistant coaches and great head coaches (Mike Kuefler with Kaneland softball and David Beebe with Oswego girls basketball). I couldn't ask for any more than that."

Mike Miazga has been writing about Fox Valley-area sports for 25 years. Email him at mjm890@gmail.com