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A terrific trio of hall of famers

We can all aspire to one day be nominated for a hall of fame. These men were.

Off the old block

Paul Vandersteen grew up in Bloomington, Indiana. His father, Ray, founded an esteemed local track club and got young Paul into running at age 9.

"I got a sense of what it took to be successful through some very influential coaches in my life, including my dad," said Paul, who turned 55 on March 15. "My dad was a very influential coach from grade school and through middle school. He got a lot out of me."

Between the lessons of his father, who passed away in 2014, and those of Bloomington South High School coach Marshall Goss, by the time Vandersteen was a sophomore he was an all-state runner, going on to win a Junior Olympics national cross country title.

Fast forward a couple decades - past the family's move to Sterling, a Northern Illinois and Iowa running career that ended in "injuries and frustration" and three-year teaching and coaching stints at Peoria Notre Dame, Pekin and Waubonsie Valley - and Paul, a Neuqua Valley science teacher, emerged as one of Illinois' best boys cross country and track distance coaches.

He's coached star pupils like Chris Derrick to three cross country titles and four other trophies, a 2007 Nike Cross Nationals win, and numerous track medals, like the 2014 and 2017 Class 3A 3,200-relay titles.

Vandersteen's philosophy?

"Mine's very similar to an Al Carius," he said, noting the legendary North Central College coach. "It's being inclusive, to get to know my athletes for who they are and try to motivate them to get the most out of themselves. And overall just be a good person, be kind.

"I don't treat my athletes any differently if they're talented or not. To me what matters is they try to get better and have fun doing it."

Married 25 years to wife Charmaine with two children, Samantha and Austin, Vandersteen was shocked by the throng that attended his Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame induction in January - coaches, athletes, parents, Neuqua Valley Principal Bob McBride.

He shouldn't have been surprised.

"It's a huge honor because it's decided by my peers," he said.

Good humor man

Bob Zinke

When Bob Zinke's daughter, Hope, played basketball for Wheaton North in the mid-1990s he loudly advocated on her behalf and that of her teammates. His encouragement often came at the expense of officials working the game.

Zinke's wife, Sheila, noted the lack of an announcer and suggested he give it a try, being a wordsmith and all. Zinke approached Wheaton North's athletic director at the time, the late Bill Neibch.

"He said, 'I'll let you do it on one condition - you can't yell at the referees,'" Zinke recalled.

Zinke, 72, played nice. Last season was his 25th announcing basketball. He's called Falcons football 24 years, among other sports.

"It could have lasted 25 minutes, but it's something that I dearly love," he said.

Growing up in Western Springs, he said jokingly that if he'd attended Lyons Twp. he'd still be trying to graduate. Instead he went to since-closed Northwestern Military & Naval Academy on the south shore of Geneva Lake in Wisconsin.

Zinke, who celebrated his 47th anniversary with Sheila on March 27, sprinkles humor into his calls. A listener's mouth will water over the fantastical offerings (liver and onions, twice-baked potatoes, etc.) he claims can be had at Wheaton North's concession stand.

And his closing comment: "If you're driving" - perfectly timed pause - "please take your car."

In a karmic turn for honoring Neibch's request, referee Bob Reczek nominated Zinke for the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame as a "friend of basketball." The IBCA Hall of Fame Banquet is May 5 at Illinois State's Redbird Arena. Wheaton North and Wheaton College also will be represented by the induction of former NBA coach and executive Randy Pfund.

Zinke said he'll stop announcing Falcons contests when "they carry me out in a box."

"I dearly love it," he said. "In fact, being associated with Wheaton North, it keeps me going. I couldn't be more pleased with the way things are going in my life right now. It's an incredible institution with wonderful people."

Community service

  Wheaton Warrenviille South head football coach Ron Muhitch. Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com

Every summer, Wheaton Warrenville South football coach Ron Muhitch finds the time to make home visits to each senior player. He discusses their hopes, their goals, offers to do anything he can to maximize their prospects, football-related or not.

Muhitch doesn't have to do this. He does it, he said, "to get kids to look beyond the now."

His immediate future includes a trip to Champaign. On April 7 he'll be inducted into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame to highlight a 38-year career with the Tigers - 22 as an assistant - that includes 13 overall DuPage Valley Conference titles, seven state championships and four second-place finishes. Into his 17th year as head coach, Muhitch owns a 131-55 record, seven DVC titles, three state titles, two runners-up.

"We never got in the playoffs until 1988 and in 1988 the belief started to match the expectations," said Muhitch, joining two other inductees with DuPage County ties, John Jackson and J. Randy Hofman. The latter also coached Wheaton Central freshmen in 1976 when Muhitch arrived as a student teacher out of Wheaton College.

He was a three-year varsity fullback-linebacker from football-mad DuBois, Pennsylvania, with a full ride to Lehigh. Instead he attended Wheaton, a four-year starter.

He's coached Tigers softball and as defensive coordinator for fellow IHSFCA Hall of Famer John Thorne created a football dynasty. Taking over the reins in 2002, Muhitch has produced myriad college players and been recognized regionally and nationally.

Yet he feels his work as department chair of physical education, driver's education and health from 1988-2014, helping move PE curriculum from athletic performance to fitness-based, was his true calling.

Maybe a late-1970s job helping troubled youth in a California Outward Bound program inspired him; maybe it was his wife, Sheri, whom he met in 1990 while she taught autistic children at Wheaton Central. Maybe it was simply Muhitch, more than a great football coach.

"I've always thought that I was an educator first and my priority was teaching and servicing kids and families in the community," he said.

doberhelman@dailyherald.com

Follow Dave on Twitter @doberhelman1

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