Braid Leadership Foundation recipients pay it forward
Ten area schools participate in the J. Kyle Braid Leadership Foundation, based in Villa Grove, Colo. The 2011 recipients have just been announced.
Each year since its 1994 founding by Ken Braid and Colleen Malany Braid, select sophomores from participating schools in Illinois, Ohio, Colorado and Florida attend the JKB Leadership Ranch in Colorado’s San Luis Valley, where they work together developing leadership and teamwork.
The Braids’ only child, Kyle, died in 1994. A sophomore starter on his varsity football team, he was told by a coach he needed to get bigger and stronger, whatever it took. So he took steroids, which led to mood swings and, eventually, led to him taking his own life.
Thus, identifying proper decision making is a main task of the “JKB Kids.” After their time in Colorado, they return to their high schools and over the next two years establish leadership programs and try to influence their peers in making smart decisions.
Naperville Central boys golf coach and assistant girls soccer coach Barry Baldwin, who can be seen in a video describing the program on the jkbranch.org website, is the Redhawks’ JKB sponsor. With Colleen Braid, he submitted this year’s 2011 JKB recipients:
Naperville Central: Luke Roth, Andrew Barrett, Anthony Lopez, Sabrina Cisneros, Amanda Alberts, Nikki Connors.
Naperville North: Adam Jalali, Sean McDonnell, Grace Carbollo, Christa Szalach.
St. Francis: McKenna Kelsay, Megan Parisi, Kevin Purdom, C.J. Humes.
York: John Shipman, Grace Haggard, Ali Marquess, Matt Parks.
Downers Grove North: Louise Sarver, Alana Oesterling, Matt Zabloudil, Andrew Noll.
Downers Grove South: Kevin Raher, Scott McNellis, Jordan Spivak, Dhara Puvar.
Glenbard West: Jake Brodner, Grace Farley, Emma Reifel, Joe Williamson-Link.
Hinsdale Central: Joseph Herr, William Leach, Olivia Bott, Jacqueline Bruns.
Hinsdale South: Michael Rizzo, Sean Miller, Nicole Blumenstein, Colleen Lyons.
Wheaton Warrenville South: Kevin Giltz, Kelly Langlas, Ryan La Fleur, Brandon Ruggles, McKenna Kiple.
These students will hit the ground running as juniors.
New leaders
Big pigskin proceedings occurred at both Hinsdale high schools this week.
Hinsdale Central hired assistant Rich Tarka as its new varsity coach, succeeding Mike DiMatteo, who resigned following the past season.
Also on Tuesday at Hinsdale South, 1992 Downers Grove North graduate Mike Barry was hired out of the head varsity spot at Evergreen Park. Barry assumes the position held by Alex Bitto since 2007.
Tarka, a receivers coach last year for DiMatteo, has 10 years of head coaching experience. He went 26-31 in six seasons at Rich South with two playoff campaigns, including a second-round Class 5A berth in 2003, his first year there.
Tarka began his 25-year coaching career as an assistant at powerhouse Richards. As Crete-Monee’s coach from 1997-2001 he went 30-19. He led the Warriors to the playoffs in three of his five seasons, with a second-round 5A game in 1999.
“Rich not only is a leader on the football field but in the classroom as well,” Hinsdale Central athletic director Paul Moretta said in a news release. Tarka will teach math at the school.
A social studies teacher himself, new Hinsdale South coach Barry left Downers North to be an award-winning defensive end and four-year letterman at Kent State. He headed to Florida to start his coaching career and first served as a head coach at Barron Collier High in Naples. His teams made four playoff appearances and won two district titles, according to a Hinsdale South release.
Coming back up north, Barry started teaching and coaching at Evergreen Park in 2008. He braved a 1-8 debut — at least a step up from 0-9 before he got there — to go 4-5 in 2009 and 5-4 last season, an even 3-3 in the South Suburban Red. Only Richards allowed fewer points than Barry’s Mustangs among SSC Red teams.
Good cause
Through the grapevine we heard of a benefit event on Wednesday for the mother of Glenbard West football player Trace Sorey. Susan Sorey, wife of former Chicago Bear Revie Sorey, has pancreatic cancer.
It’s too late for the event, but perhaps we can spread the news of a fund that has started to defray Sorey’s medical expenses uncovered by insurance.
Contributions may be sent to: Suzy Sorey Medical Fund, c/o Sorey Family, 392 Prospect, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137.
They made the cut
Out of a record 204 athletes who converged at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Open Tryouts over Feb. 25-27, 36 players made the roster for the National A2 Program. Three of them came from DuPage County schools.
Two of them played for St. Francis’ 2007 Class 3A state runner-up team, Kelsey Robinson and Michelle Kocher.
Robinson, an outside hitter for Tennessee last fall and an all-SEC Freshman Team pick, made the A2 program as a libero. At Tennessee Robinson led the team with a 3.60 digs average and had a .973 reception percentage. Robinson also is eligible for the Women’s Junior National Team, to be announced in May.
Kocher led the University of Texas to a 16-1 record when she was its starting setter. She averaged 10.44 assists, helped Texas to the NCAA Division I semifinals, and was on her regional all-tournament team.
Naperville North graduate Colleen Ward also made A2 as an outside hitter. Transferring to Illinois this season from Florida, the 6-foot-3 Ward was an American Volleyball Coaches Association Second-Team All-America selection after averaging 3.99 kills, 4.50 points and 2.44 digs per set.
Illinois led all states in A2 qualifiers with nine. The program runs May 23-June 1 in Dallas, and includes the 2011 USA Volleyball Open National Championships from May 28-31.
doberhelman@dailyherald.com