Hall of Fame opens door for gymnastics pioneer Kostick

It's about time.

Andy Kostick will be inducted into the Illinois Gymnastics Hall of Fame Wednesday at the Gary Morava Center in Prospect Heights.

It's also the perfect time because it comes four days after Barrington High School served as host of the IHSA state boys gymnastics meet.

Kostick started the Barrington gymnastics program in 1960.

The 7 p.m. event Wednesday at 110 W. Camp McDonald Road will showcase the enormous achievements of a man who was raised in Hegwich, Ill., and went on to star in gymnastics at the University of Illinois on the national power coached by the legendary Charlie Pond.

Kostick obtained his advanced degree at Southern Illinois University and was an assistant coach to another gymnastics legend, Bill Meade.

When Tom Frederick, athletic director at Barrington whose name now graces the Broncos' football field, was looking for someone to start a gymnastics program, Meade suggested Kostick.

Kostick was hired on the spot by Frederick and Dave Gehler, head of physical education, and he later added Mike Karon, an Illini teammate and associate at Southern, as his assistant coach.

Gymnastics took off thanks to these two dynamic coaches, who have a friendship that covers over 50 years.

"Andy always tried to include every student that was interested in the sport regardless of ability," Karon said. "Andy felt that every student was important and always stressed sportsmanship, self-discipline, character and correct form and execution of a routine.

"To Andy," Karon added, "the character of the student was the most important element in the sport. This was something that he always stressed, and he always set himself as the example.

Kostick, who also coached tennis and freshman football and worked the clock at all home football games, spent 33 years at Barrington

The man who had a profound impact on thousands of students during his career as teacher and coach is back in the spotlight Wednesday, and there's nothing bigger than the Hall of Fame.

Mark Watman, who coached Homewood-Flossmoor to a state title and runner-up finish, also will be inducted into the Hall of Fame Wednesday.

Golf

Tyler Wollberg (Mundelein) of Carthage College was selected to play as an individual in the NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championship today through Friday at the Chateau Elon Resort in Braselton, Ga.

Track and field

Keli Coleman (Carmel) of Augustana College won the 100-meter dash in 12:27 at the Chicago Penultimate Open. She took second in the 200 at 25.63.

• Valery Taylor (Barrington) of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville was named Co-Freshman of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. She won the long jump in the conference meet at 18-1 and was sixth in the 800-meter run (2:21.79).

• A'Seret Dobubo (Conant), sophomore at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, ran a personal best of 10:52.93 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Jesse Owens Classic at Ohio State.

• Freshman Arthur Baptist (Prospect) of the University of Chicago placed third in the 5,000-meter run (15:21.55) at the Chicago Penultimate Open.

• The Senior All-Star Meet featuring the top senior girls in Illinois, Iowa, North Dakota and Wisconsin will be held June 6-7 at the University of Northern Iowa. Chuck Morgan is the Illinois girls' coach and Steve Gibble of Buffalo Grove is the assistant.

Any senior girl who is interested should call Morgan at (847) 255-7089 or e-mail to niutke@comcast.net.

Baseball

Concordia University Chicago (32-13) finished second in the Northern Athletics Conference tournament with contributions from three area players. Carl Petersen (Maine West) and Ryan Hantel (Prospect) both collected pitching decisions. Petersen (7-2) worked 9 innings and allowed only 1 earned run, and Hantel (6-2) also allowed 1 earned run in a game stopped after 7 innings by the slaughter rule.

J.D. Rotzoll (Prospect) went 11-for-21 (.524) in the 5 tourney games with 4 doubles and 5 RBI, moving his average to .450 for 45 games.

• Pitcher Steve Godawa (Buffalo Grove) of Valparaiso University received Horizon League honors for the week ending May 4. He appeared in four of the Crusaders' six games in relief, allowing 1 hit and no runs. He has not given up a run in 10 appearances in league games.

• Matt Davis (Prospect) of Eastern Kentucky has moved his average to .296 for 46 games. He is first on the team in doubles (12), second in triples (4) and third in hits (48). He also has 2 home runs and 25 RBI.

Softball

Laura D'Andrea (Prospect) of Washington University in St. Louis ended her collegiate career with a .361 lifetime batting average. The four-year starter at shortstop finished in the top five of all 10 offensive categories in school history, including first in runs scored and triples, second in hits and doubles and third in stolen bases. On defense she is second in career assists.

D'Andrea was twice named to the NCAA All-Midwest Region Team, ESPN The Magazine's Academic All-District First Team, ESPN Academic All-American and UAA All-Conference.

Also at Washington, freshman pitcher Claire Voris (Barrington) finished with a 15-7 record and 1.97 ERA. She struck out 191 batters in 149 innings, including a record-tying 17 in one game. She was conference rookie of the year.

• Sophomore Nicole Pauly (Palatine) of Northwestern was named to the All-Big Ten second team at second base. She led the league with 53 total bases while finishing second in slugging percentage (.898) and home runs (8), and third in runs scored (20).

• Outfielder Lauren Cruz (Maine West) of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater was named to the Division III All-Great Lakes Region first team. Cruz has a .453 average with 8 home runs.

• University of Chicago junior shortstop Jen Jacobson (Conant) and Kathleen Duffy (Barrington) were selected to the 2008 Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Great Lakes Region Team.

A second-team selection, Jacobson batted .517, fourth-best season average in school history, and she ended the season with a 25-game hitting streak.

Duffy also made the second team after batting .460 with a team-leading 24 RBI. She made 16 pitching appearances and played 16 games in the outfield, three at third base and one at shortstop.

• Sophomore third baseman Karlee Quaritsch (Palatine) of Augustana College was named to the third team all-Great Lakes Region. She hit a single-season school record 11 home runs while hitting .364.

Swimming

Mike Huffman (Palatine) has been named captain of the 2008-09 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater team.

Basketball camp

The Northwest Basketball Academy defensive camp at Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights will be held June 30 to July 3, and also July 7-11.

Cost is $200.

Boys from 6th to 8th grades will be from 9 a.m. to noon. Girls from 6th to 8th will be from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

For questions, call Bill Probst at (847) 639-1003.

Probst is member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and he has won more than 600 games. In seven seasons as the McHenry Junior College women's basketball coach, his teams never finished lower than fifth in the nation and led the nation twice in defense.