Add another award for Thorne

Faith, family, academics - the core of John Thorne's philosophy that graced football players and programs with a Midas touch.

Thorne said great players are "how coaches get awards they probably don't deserve," but it's no fluke the man from tiny Milford Township High is enshrined in halls of fame at Wheaton Warrenville South, the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association and, as of Oct. 29, the North Central College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Saturday he'll be inducted along with Wheaton North graduates Justin Rapp and Sandy Eberhardt, Naperville North swimmer Greg Sego and another swimmer, Roger Kiekhofer. Thorne is the sole coach of the bunch.

"The game is really designed for the players, but it's so much fun for us as coaches to watch them grow into young men," said Thorne, who went 118-30 with eight NCAA Division III playoff appearances in 13 seasons as Cardinals football coach. In 2015 he was succeeded by his son, Jeff.

"I'm really humbled that they chose to put me in this hall of fame," John Thorne said. "It's a pretty special place and it's really been a lot of fun these last 15 years, being a part of it."

It's also a no-brainer.

As at Wheaton Warrenville South, after Thorne took over North Central College football in 2002 the program improved dramatically. That first season the Cardinals won six games, the most in 15 years. Landmarks, abridged here, came nearly every year - the first nine-win campaign in 2005; the first College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin title in 46 years in 2006; the first 13-win season and NCAA semifinal berth in 2013.

The common thread? Faith, family and academics, which Jeff Thorne continues with his twice-weekly "Fundamentals of Life" sessions.

"Obviously," John Thorne said, "you try to coach technique and things that help them, but the important thing is helping them continue to grow into becoming the men they're meant to be."

Universal language

The Dominican Republic produces baseball players like Detroit makes cars. The ballclub at St. Louis' Webster University, a Division III power, experienced their talents firsthand in a visit Oct. 15-22.

"It was awesome," said Webster four-year starting shortstop Matt Wollnik, whose Gorloks teammates include fellow Neuqua Valley graduate Johnny Lord, St. Francis' Brett Jungles and Waubonsie Valley's C.J. Lee.

Playing organized teams in such spots as Santo Domingo and the "cradle of shortstops," San Pedro de Macorís, the "visitantes" went 0-5, all 1- and 2-run games attended by neighborhood kids, a few stray dogs and, one day, U.S. Ambassador Wally Brewster.

"We saw a couple guys who threw really hard, harder than what we're used to seeing up here. They really pitched well and played defense really well," said Wollnik, who went 3-for-11 with 2 doubles.

An off-day at a private island got rained out, but the college men conducted a service project, painting homes in one of the host coaches' villages.

While there Webster also held a 7 a.m. workout at the beach. By that time the Dominican players were finishing their sprints.

"The biggest thing that I took away from it is how all of those guys are out there practicing and working on their games," Wollnik said. "There's no special formula to be a better baseball player. They just take advantage of what they've got."

Benet cares

Horizons for Youth, a nonprofit organization founded by Benet alumni to help Chicago students become the first in their families to attend college, celebrated its 25th anniversary Oct. 20 at Clara's Restaurant in Woodridge.

The room full of Redwings included boys basketball coach Gene Heidkamp, football coach Pat New and Horizons co-founders Patrick Collins and Steve Derks. Teammates on Benet's 1978-79 third-place boys basketball team, they started Horizons while still in college.

"We're trying to show the Benet community you don't have to be 40, 50 years old to start making a difference in your community," said Dave Sobolewski, 23, the former star Redwings and Northwestern point guard.

The event raised $14,000, matched by 1985 graduate Anthony Melchiorre's investment firm, Chatham Asset Management. Melchiorre sponsors eight students.

In 1991 Horizons served five students and now mentors more than 250. Students who complete the program have a 99 percent high school graduation rate, 86 percent in college.

At Clara's a number of people approached Sobolewski, looking to get involved.

"It's pretty powerful," he said, "when you see that many people interested in helping others who they may not have ever met."