Huerta’s winner makes Hillner, Lark Park happy
They don’t make ’em like coach Norm Hillner anymore in boys soccer — and that’s too bad.
In a perfectly scripted ending to the regular season Saturday afternoon, and with over 70 former players and friends on hand, Hillner’s Lake Park team gave the retiring coach a dramatic win in the 80th minute when Oliver Huerta thumped home the game-winner against Barrington to give the Lancers and Hillner yet another memorable day on the pitch, including the veteran coach’s 200th win on Krupke Field in Roselle.
“I don’t know how I could have wanted my final regular-season game to end but like this, and to have it happen in front of all of the former players at Lake Park, this big crowd, and of course my family, makes it all just that much better,” said Hillner, who following the current school year will retire as an educator and coach. He is closing in on 360 victories in his illustrious career.
“We all got T-shirts this week in celebration of coach Hillner’s day (today) and all of the teachers were walking around school wearing them,” said Lake Park senior Tim Adelman, a team co-captain and three-year player for Hillner along with Nick Zanghi. “So we all knew how big of a deal today really was, and when Oliver scored with 14 seconds left in regulation, all I could say to myself was ‘Wow.’ And how great it was for us to give him a win in his final game here, and before so many of his former players. We’re lucky to have a coach who cares about us so much and who works so hard, and asks us to do the same. I am so happy that we got this win for him today.”
The day began with Hillner and his assistant and long-time friend John Erfort taking time to recognize the 17 seniors on the roster. At intermission the 70 alumni players in attendance were recognized; later they took place in the program’s 21st alumni game.
“Norm is a special guy,” said Erfort, who began his friendship with Hillner in 1977 at Buffalo Grove. “He has a real passion for the sport, and gives so much to it because of the kids.
“A lot of people say they will help, but Norm is one of those few who actually does the work. He’s a straight-up type of man who is a blast to be around, and it’s been a real treat for me to come out of retirement to be his assistant the past couple of seasons.”
Hillner, who was named to the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame in 2007 and has been a board member with the group as well, is the architect of one of the finest run sports banquets every fall, which is attended by nearly 1000 in mid-November.
In addition to handling the emcee position with flair, Hillner’s work behind the scenes to coordinate and organize the massive event is evident, as is all the extra work and time he puts in to ensure the night goes smoothly.
“Norm is such a great guy. He’s fun to be around, truly cares about the players and the sport, and puts so much into the sport that nobody on the outside would even know,” said Barrington coach Scott Steib, whose club ends the regular season at 11-8-3 in advance of its regional opener with Cary-Grove on Wednesday afternoon at Lake Zurich. “To tell you the truth, when their player put that ball into the back of the net in the closing moments, I kind of said to myself, ‘Good for you, Norm.’ He is such a great guy.”
Long after Huerta ran onto Ryan Costella’s free kick from the mid-line, Hillner was playing the role of host quite well, posing for pictures with all his former players, shaking hands, and chatting with those who came to see their favorite coach — who was a walking billboard with the souvenir T-shirt he was wearing.
“This shirt has everything on it — 40th annual reunion, Senior Day, 21st Alumni Game — and if I knew before we printed them that going into today we were at 199 victories here at Krupke, I would have put that on there too, and really used that as the motivation to win No. 200,” said Hillner in his usual wise-cracking way. “I look back and two of the things I remember most were losses, both disappointing defeats to Barrington and Wheaton Warrenville South in the supersectionals, because as a coach you always want to get to the state finals,” Hillner said. “But today has to be up there among the best of the best.”
Lake Park (15-6-2) meets Streamwood on Wednesday in a regional opener at West Chicago.