Girls track: Conant's Borczak brings out the best — on and off the track

Conant's Bob Borczak described his prep track career as a ‘football player who ran track'.

That self-described football player turned into a pretty special girls track coach.

Borczak is finishing up his 15th and final year directing the Conant girls track and field team, leading his team to 27 state medals, including three state titles and three top ten team state finishes, including a third-place Class AA state trophy in 2008.

“We had the athletes,” said Borczak of his successful run. “My job was just to get them to the line on time.”

Borczak did little bit more than just getting them to the line.

Just ask Toni Graham, who is Conant's top sprinter after earning 12 state medals in girls track.

“Borczak left a profound impact on all his athletes and students alike,” said Graham, a 2008 Conant graduate who is the school's record holder in the 100 and 200. “He's great at teaching life lessons. He has his own unique way of teaching lessons like patience, humility and knowing when silence is golden.”

“But to know Borczak is to love him. All his athletes love and care about him and will forever.”

Borczak, a 1975 Conant graduate, learned from one of the best in Conant's long time hall-of-fame coach Ron Gummerson, who coach the Cougars boys team for 29 years

Borczak ran for Gummerson in the 70's and then became a coaching peer with Gummerson in the 90s.

And he lived by a Gummerson motto that he passed down to his teams: ‘What I accept, I am.'

“If you accept mediocrity, you'll be mediocre,” Borczak said. “But if you are willing to work harder and accept those responsibilities, you'll be better.”

Borczak's Cougars certainly worked harder during his 15 years, highlighted by the Stephanie Benight's state title in discus (2002), Sarah Gorden's state title in the 100 low hurdles (2011) and the 800 relay team that earned a state title in 2008.

Graham combined with fellow seniors Destiny Arps, Brianna Millar and Emily Quinones to push the Cougars to a thrilling victory over East St. Louis in the 800 relay.

“I had those four from freshman year through senior year and they just kept getting better and better,” Borczak said.

Borczak guided the Cougars' attack to third place in the Mid-Suburban League eight out of nine years from 2003 through 2011. His team finished fourth at state in 2007 and took home a third-place trophy in 2008

Barrington was one of the elite teams that Conant battled during that time.

The Fillies won the Class AA state title in 2007 and finished second in Class AA in 2008.

Coach Jody Gitelis definitely was impressed by Borczak's leadership.

“I have so much respect for him,” added Gitelis, who is the dean for MSL girl's track and field coaches. “He is a laid-back and caring man who had the ability to motivate his kids to achieve their best.”

Despite all the state medals and the state trophy, Borczak got his biggest joy out of seeing individuals accomplish a personal record.

“The other stuff is icing on the cake,” Borczak said of the state medals. “But to see a 1,600 runner achieve a personal record and go under six minutes on her last attempt, that was the fun stuff.”

And there was plenty of fun stuff during Borczak's reign in which he touched so many athletes, including hurdlers like Samantha Manto, Cara Zizzo, Allison Buckley, Josie Hutch or jumpers like Lauren Martin and distance runners like Kalli Dalton and Allie Dale.

“Coach Borczak was one of the most influential people in my life growing up through high school,” added Martin ,a 2006 Conant graduate who earned six state medals during her time at Conant before moving on to become a four-time all-American in the triple jump at Indiana State. “Coach B was not only my coach but a role model for not only me, but all the young ladies that had an opportunity to run under him. His influence and believing in me molded me into the person I am today.”

Borczak embodies what it means to be a Cougar.

After graduating from Conant in 1975, he played football and earned a science degree from Northern Illinois University in 1980. He married his wife Cindi in 1981. She has been by his side for 36 years.

Borczak, who teaches science, returned to Conant full time in 1994 and has not looked back, continuing a long line of successful Cougar running coaches including Gummerson and Al Goodman.

He took over the reins of the Conant girl track program from Greg Gillet in 2002 and has lifted the Cougars to new heights and been aided along the way by assistant coaches such as Kevin Mogge and Sam Serrano.

Last Friday, Borczak was honored at the Cougar Twilight ABC track meet by many former athletes and parents for his many years of service as a ‘Cougar.

On Tuesday, Coach B took a moment to reflect on his long run as a Cougar — from his time as a student sitting in class dreaming about his future through his time roaming the Charles O. Feutz field as the Cougars' track coach.

“It's starting to get there,” said Borczak of a lifetime of memories and emotions. “I'm going to miss the kids and I'm very proud of what we have done, but it's also very humbling.”