Geneva's athletics on a roll

There are plenty of reasons to give thanks this time of year.

The ones that first come to mind include strong family togetherness, good health and supportive friends.

Being a sports nut, I would have to add that I am thankful for the current success of the Green Bay Packers (sorry Bears fans, but they are my favorite team), the Central Division title-winning Chicago Cubs (back when it was warm) and my good fortune to cover some of the best prep student-athletes in the Tri-Cities competing at their respective high schools.

One school in particular -- Geneva -- has enjoyed quite a run over the past couple years.

Pun intended.

Earlier this month, Geneva's girls cross country team captured the school's first state championship.

Led by an all-freshman starting seven, featuring second-place state finisher Kelly Whitley, the Vikings shocked the state with their title-winning performance at Peoria's Detweiller Park.

The only other time Geneva had qualified its girls cross country team for state was 2004.

Two years ago, Kelly's older sisters, Caty and Taylor, helped lead the Vikings to their first Class AA girls basketball regional championship since 1983 with a 41-32 victory over visiting West Chicago.

Geneva's girls soccer program has recorded a pair of third-place finishes (2001, 2004) over the past six years.

Viking volleyball teams have earned six regional titles -- all of them since 1999.

Coached by Greg Dierks, Geneva's softball squad has enjoyed three 20-win seasons since 2000 and has captured two regional titles in the last five years.

Geneva's girls tennis program has also put together quite a streak, having won six sectional team titles over the past eight seasons.

Success hasn't been limited to the distaff side.

Coach Rob Wicinski has helped turn the once-dormant football program into a legitimate state title contender. This year's team posted an unblemished 9-0 regular-season mark and reached the Class 7A state quarterfinals.

The Vikings have made two state semifinal appearances since 2004.

In boys soccer, Geneva finished 20-6-2, advancing to the supersectional before losing to eventual state runner-up Neuqua Valley. The Vikings have reached the Elite Eight three times (1997, 2000, 2004).

Last spring, the Vikings' baseball team pocketed its first conference and regional titles while surpassing the 20-win mark for the sixth time since 1996.

Geneva's boys cross country team has made three trips to the state meet since 2000, finishing second in 2001. Viking boys golf squads earned regional crowns in 1997 and 2000.

In 2002-03, Geneva's boys tennis program sported a 32-5 dual match record.

Why all the sudden success?

"I think there are four things that have to be in place," said Geneva athletic director Jim Kafer. "First, you have to have talent. You need to have achievement-oriented athletes. Second, you need a strong parental base that shares the same interest and passion for achievement.

"Third, you need for the community to take an interest in what is going on at the high school level. And finally, you must have a motivated, knowledgeable coaching staff. Those are all common denominators."

Winning hasn't always been synonymous with Geneva High School.

From 1994-2000, the Vikings' football program won just 8 of 63 games. From 1981-93, the record of the baseball program was 85-275. From 1989-95, the softball team suffered seven consecutive losing seasons (52-144).

But things have changed for the better -- and Kafer, in his ninth year as AD, couldn't be happier.

"People want to be associated with things that are successful," said Kafer. "It's much easier to go watch kids succeed -- win more than they lose. Let's be honest -- when you're keeping score, you play to win."

Higher participation levels have also played a major role in the school's athletic turnaround.

"We had more than 500 athletes participating in fall sports alone this year," said Kafer. "We've seen a big surge in football the last few years. Six years ago, we had less than 100 kids participating. This year, we had around 200 kids out for football. The numbers for our soccer program are up 25 percent the last several years."

"There are a lot of good youth programs in Geneva," said Kelly Whitley.

School spirit is also soaring.

"Everyone is really supportive of all the teams," said Whitley, who is now playing basketball before track season commences next spring. "There are a lot of school pep rallies. Most of the kids wear blue to school Fridays."

As school enrollment figures continue to rise, it appears that success is here to stay at Geneva.

For that, many are thankful.