As he leaves the CCIW, Martin leaves a legacy
Some things, like 22 national champions, are apparent. Others, like increasing the number of officials coordinators, run behind the scenes.
Combined, the term of outgoing College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin Commissioner Chris Martin has been a boon to one of the nation's top Division III athletic conferences.
Turning 48 this spring, in June Martin will conclude the last of his 17 years as the CCIW's first full-time commissioner. He came out of the NCAA's national office in Indianapolis in 2002 to succeed part-time Commissioner Merle Chapman, former Millikin athletic director and football coach.
"It's been a great run. I've enjoyed leading the CCIW flag for 17 years," said Martin, an Aurora resident forced to step down due to hearing loss, a genetic condition.
"My successor has been named, (Arlington Heights native) Maureen Harty. She's going be a great addition to the conference, and I think folks will enjoy her leadership going forward," he said.
Martin's tenure has been notable on many fronts.
Adding Carroll College in 2016, it brought CCIW membership to nine schools. Martin established the associate member designation that has added six others playing a select sport or, in the case of the University of Dubuque, both men's and women's lacrosse. The CCIW added lacrosse in 2015 for a total of 11 team sports and 23 overall.
"There's been a lot of things I've been able to accomplish with the support of my schools," said Martin, whose two children, Margaret and Justin, are Neuqua Valley graduates now in college.
Improving league officiating is high on that list. Martin hired six officials coordinators to join the three already there. That relieves the responsibility of member schools to find their own officials for all 23 sports.
He helped establish the Midwest Football Officiating Alliance with the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, the Midwest Conference and the powerful Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
"At face level one of the biggest accomplishments that I'm most proud of is just the internal operations," he said. "How we run the conference, the day-to-day things that we really did not have structures and policies and procedures in place, that now that we have that we have allowed the conference to move forward to be better and better."
Martin has had a hand in things locally, adding equipment and corporate partners, redesigning the CCIW website among other things.
He has also led nationally. From 2013-17 Martin served on the NCAA Division III Football Committee; from January 2011-12 he was the first sitting conference commissioner to be elected chair of the Division III Management Council.
Leaving for reasons beyond his control, Martin has no concrete plans for future endeavors other than "some down time."
Like all of us leaving jobs enjoyed many years, he'll have to find something to replace the best part of the job, the personal touch.
"When you can hand off a medal or a trophy to a conference champion, that's the sort of thing that makes you smile for a long time," Martin said.
Lee Watch 2019
It's been awhile, so it's time to update the numbers on veteran high school coach Lee Maciejewski.
We ran into him Monday at the boys basketball Class 4A Metea Valley regional. One of Hinsdale Central coach Nick Latorre's varsity assistants, Maciejewski's move to softball season was delayed a day by the Red Devils' win over Metea. The luck ran out Tuesday against Geneva.
Helping Hinsdale Central softball coach Brittany Wolski this spring, it will be Maciejewski's 131st season coaching a high school sport.
A former head boys basketball coach at West Chicago and Glenbard West, and a former head softball coach at West Chicago, Glenbard West and Hinsdale Central, this spring will conclude Maciejewski's 43rd consecutive year coaching three sports at any level. For awhile that included coaching football at a school in the Wisconsin Dells.
"I want to coach as long as I can and I'll know when to quit because I won't be able to hold up my end of the bargain," he said.
Initially Maciejewski's goal was to coach three sports for 100 seasons. That accomplished, he shifted his goal to coaching three sports for 40 years. Now it just seems open-ended.
Last fall Maciejewski, 70, was part of Paul Parpet Sr.'s staff that while small in numbers led the Lisle football team to its best season in more than 30 years.
"I think that over the years I've adjusted and I can relate to the kids even better now than I did 40 years ago when I was a lot closer in age," he said. "I'm 'Coach Grandpa' now instead of just, 'Hey you.'"
#BethStrong
With heavy heart and moist eyes we consider the passing of 17-year-old Downers Grove North junior volleyball player Beth Dunlap, removed from life support on Feb. 23 after being struck by a drug- and alcohol-impaired driver, according to prosecutors, as she walked to school Feb. 19.
From the torrent of social media posts related to #BethStrong and #18for18 - 18 acts of kindness, laps, lifting repetitions, seconds of silence, dance moves or what have you, referring to her Trojans uniform number - it's obvious she struck a chord in the community and beyond.
Messages and tribute videos streamed in from New Mexico, Georgia, Virginia and more, from her 1st Alliance volleyball club in Woodridge, in addition to those emanating from friends, classmates, teammates, faculty and staff at Downers Grove North. Further support poured in from volleyball programs statewide and from those closest to her school, in the West Suburban Conference.
A favorite, if it can be called that, came from Downers Grove North physical education teacher and football coach Joe Horeni's exercise class in which a student was filmed bench-pressing 90 pounds plus the 45-pound bar 18 times. That is not easy.
It is so difficult to acknowledge that a loved one, or even that friendly faced passed in a hallway, will not be here, forevermore. Particularly one whose true potential had yet to be realized.
We feel deeply for and offer condolences to the Dunlap family for their loss. We are heartened by the support and spirit of community Beth's passing has wrought.
Rest in peace.
doberhelman@dailyherald.com
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