After 185-year run, Elgin Academy looking to go out with a bang
In early November, before the second practice of his second season as Elgin Academy boys basketball coach Cory Wilks got the news.
After 185 years the private school is closing at the end of the 2023-24 school year. Practice was canceled after the announcement was made.
“Shock,” Wilks said. “Literally from the administration on down to us, it shocked everyone. It took us a couple days to process it all and I'd by lying if I said we weren't still processing it.”
On the surface, pulling the plug on a school that's been around since 1839 is certainly jolt worthy.
Elgin Academy athletic director Craig Pinson had the same initial reaction as Wilks and everyone else at the historic institution when the news hit.
“I can tell you the day after the announcement, it kind of felt like a funeral,” Pinson said. “There was a a lot of shock and the kids were pretty down.”
On the flip side...
“I love the place,” Pinson said. “If I could have retired here, I would have. I live in Downers Grove so this is not the school next door. With two young daughters, I'm commuting 45-50 minutes each way, but it's worth it because of how much I love this school. I love the kids here and I love what we stand for.
“It's a real shame, but I'm also a realist. I understand that if the finances and enrollment don't work out, you can't run a school. You can't run a school with 58 high school kids and 40-something middle school kids.”
As Wilks mentioned, the stark news is still being processed. But the Hilltoppers basketball team has moved forward, trying to make the best of a difficult situation.
“There were definitely a lot of strong emotions,” said Chris Tacher, EA's star junior guard. “At the same time we kept our heads up because we feel like this can be our season. End on a good note. This group has been together for the last three years. We started out together as a young team and we really just want to give Elgin Academy one final good story.”
Led by Tacher and seniors Tayten Wilder, Camren Horton and Ryan Zonts, the Hilltoppers are 11-12 heading into Saturday afternoon's game at North Shore Country Day.
EA is small in numbers, but the boys basketball team has been standing tall against much larger schools all season.
“No matter what school we're playing, they're bigger than us,” Wilder said.
Well before the announcement that Elgin Academy is shuttering at the end of the school year, the Hilltoppers basketball team had one goal this season: Win the regional title for the first time since 1983.
“It's been 40 years, that's the big thing we're focused on,” Wilder said. “I'm excited to try to make that happen. I'm excited to be a part of this, the end of the era.”
Going out on top would cap off a season that could have hit bottom before it even tipped off. Rather than being pulled apart, EA has pulled together.
“They've handled it really well, surprisingly,” said Wilks, a former prep star at Maine West. “It's a special thing when the vision is there and we all have the same goal. We know what's looming ahead and we're trying to stay in the moment the best we can.”
On Tuesday night, Elgin Academy plays its final home game. The tiny on-campus gymnasium is going to be packed.
“It's going to be very emotional,” Zonts said. “I've cried for all the senior nights, that's just kind of how it is for me. My own (senior night), it's going to bad, just emotions for me. But it'll be a great game. I know we've worked hard all year to get to this point. Just kind of let everything out and play as hard as you can. It's going to be a joy for everyone.”
Pinson is confident he'll be able to land a new job at another school, but he is prepared for anything. “I might be the most educated forklift driver in Illinois, we'll see,” he said with a laugh.
As for the EA student body and staff, including Wilks and the basketball team, Pinson has been impressed.
“After the first day, it's been pretty remarkable how the dynamic has shifted,” the AD said. “Instead of focusing on, 'Well, we're going down, why does it matter?' it's, 'Let's make these next six months the absolute best we can.'
“So after that initial period of shock, the kids are doing an amazing job of coming up with different ideas to celebrate EA and just having a really positive attitude about supporting their classmates and the teams as we make one last push here in all of our sports.”