Willowbrook’s Niyork going the distance to go Down Under

Even for a distance runner Willowbrook’s Pat Niyork put in a lot of mileage to hit his stride.

Last summer the junior traveled 8,918 miles from Villa Park to Brisbane in Queensland, Australia, after earning an invitation to compete in cross country as part of the Down Under Sports program.

Cross country and track and field are among several sports covered by the company in Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. The Illinois track and cross country runners are handled by Bob Geiger, girls track coach at Whitney Young and one of the principals of the Dyestat Illinois track website.

Glenbard West’s Kathryn Pickett and Wheaton North’s Shenelle Burnett, both hurdles specialists, competed in the track portion last year on Australia’s Gold Coast, finishing 1-2 in their age group in both the 100- and 400-meter hurdles races.

This is by no means an all-expenses-paid trip. Niyork, who was accompanied by his father, Michael, said it cost him $4,700. He paid for it with a combination of fundraising and inheritance money.

That’s a lot of dough, though it seems to have paid off in the confidence Niyork gained.

“It just put me in a new category for myself,” he said.

“My sophomore year I wasn’t really tearing anything up. I was pretty good, but after that event it just pretty much brought me into a whole new mindset of who I could compete against. I could stay with a faster group.”

This was from a boy who as a sophomore placed 13th in the 3,200 in last year’s Class 3A Lake Park sectional and who was the only runner to break 10 minutes in the frosh-soph 3,200 at last year’s DuPage County Meet. Niyork also set Hinsdale Central’s sophomore invite record and won the West Suburban Gold frosh-soph 3,200.

He still believes his competitiveness picked up when he went Down Under.

Niyork placed third overall in the Gold Coast Bulletin 5K Challenge, a race that was held in tandem with the Gold Coast Marathon. Three days later he ran another 5K and finished in eighth place.

This outdoor season Niyork has set personal records in both the 1,600 and 3,200. He’s been running like a madman, doing both of those races plus an 800 on April 29. Four days before he ran on the 1,600 and 3,200 relays in addition to the open 800 and 1,600 races.

Niyork hopes to return to Australia this summer with proceeds from umpiring baseball games and refereeing at an indoor paintball facility, but the cutoff for payment is fast approaching.

“Right now I’m starting to try to work harder, but when the season ends I’ll have time to,” Niyork said. “But I have to run — but that’s no problem, I always run.”

Dig it

Glenbard South has named Chad Grant its new girls head varsity volleyball coach, succeeding Sherry Hudson who resigned earlier this spring. Grant has been Glenbard South’s varsity assistant the past four seasons.

Named most valuable player at Addison Trail his senior season in 2004, as a middle hitter Grant helped the Blazers set the school-record with 33 victories. He started his coaching career at his alma mater in 2006 with the boys program.

In 2008 while coaching the girls at Glenbard South, Grant helped the Raiders to their first regional title since 1998. Last season Glenbard South went 21-14 overall and won the Metro Suburban Conference title at 11-1, the Raiders’ first conference title since, again, 1998.

Grant will operate from a position of strength next season. In addition to returning defensive specialist Theresa Scheet, right-side hitter Anna Watterson and middle blocker Andie Briggs, the Raiders bring back all-conference outside hitter Jane Trzaska and libero Kim Deprez, the 2010 Metro Suburban player of the year.

Hitting close to home

Being a college basketball fan, Fenton softball coach Dave Mello was aware of the Coaches Versus Cancer program. With a couple girls on the Bison’s softball team dealing with the disease, he sought to make an impact himself.

As Daily Herald sports writer Joshua Welge detailed in his column of April 29, Fenton sophomore Stephanie Bennett has a rare hereditary cancer syndrome that has also afflicted several members of her family. Another Fenton player, Brianna Garza, has a fifth-grade sister with cancer, and a third player has a younger brother who battled cancer last year.

“It’s hitting pretty close to home,” Mello said.

He decided to hit back. He worked with the American Cancer Society, which would like to get its Coaches vs. Cancer Foundation more active in spring sports. Mello also broached the idea to Fenton baseball coach Justin Moriarty, to see if they could make it a joint venture.

“Obviously, with what we have going on it just made sense, so I contacted (the American Cancer Society) and they just sent me out all the information,” Mello said. “Then Justin and I looked at the schedule, because he was more than willing to participate on the baseball side.”

The joint schedule has produced an event this Saturday at Fenton’s home facility at Redmond Recreational Complex in Bensenville. Against the same foe, Glenbard South, the baseball game will start at 6:30 p.m. and the girls at 7 p.m. on the adjacent softball diamond.

“We’re hoping with baseball and softball both playing under the lights we’ll get a good crowd out and have some people donate some money,” Mello said.

Volunteers will solicit donations and explain Coaches Vs. Cancer, and people can also send a text message that will register a $5 donation.

“We’re very supportive of those girls, and hopefully the whole Fenton community can come out and support them,” added Moriarty, a 2006 Fenton graduate.

The Fenton softball team will wear purple jerseys with Coaches vs. Cancer logos on the left shoulder, while the baseball team will don purple hats, purple being one of the symbolic colors of the Cancer Society.

Glenbard South’s softball team, Mello said, will look dandy in special royal blue jerseys with pink lettering.

“Now that we’ve got this going, we pretty much consider it as an annual event, Mello said. “Even if it hadn’t touched so close we’d be more than happy to contribute not only for our individuals but for all people that are stricken with the disease.”

He kept going and going

As an aside, Moriarty said that on April 25, Fenton health teacher Jerry Vondruska jogged in the field house from 7 a.m.-3 p.m., collecting pledges and donations for the American Cancer Society. Over eight straight hours Vondruska ran the equivalent of 43 miles, Moriarty said.

As one physical education class came in, the students would run with him until they had to leave. The next class did the same and so on and so on...

“It was one of the most outrageous things I’ve ever seen,” Moriarty said.

doberhelman@dailyherald.com