Coaches shine light on top performers
IHSSCA presents 47th annual Boys Soccer Honors Banquet
By Ken Keenan
ELMHURST -- Celebrating another season of successes -- on the pitch, in the classroom and behind the scenes -- and career achievements, the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association (IHSSCA) conducted its 47th annual Boys Soccer Honors program on Nov. 16 at Diplomat West Banquet Hall.
The group inducted the 58th member into its Hall of Fame and named the Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Assistant Coach of the Year, Soccer Person of the Year, and the Myro Rys Sportsmanship Award winner. In addition, scores of student-athletes were honored as All-State and All-Section and honorable mention All-Section selections, coaching milestones were recognized, and the Chicago Fire announced its 2017 All-State All-Academic teams and honorable mention members.
Drawing the loudest applause of the festivities was 2017-18 IHSSCA Hall of Fame inductee Mark Schartner, who has served as head boys coach at Stevenson High School for the past 31 seasons. Schartner compiled an overall mark of 409-195-96 (with only two sub-.500 seasons) as the Patriots' skipper, including a run to a fourth place finish in the 2012 IHSA Class 3A state tournament. He also served as head coach of the girls team at Stevenson for 19 seasons through 2013 and chalked up 225 wins and no losing campaigns.
"I'm completely humbled and honored to join some of my closest coaching friends in the IHSSCA Hall of Fame," said Schartner, shortly after he left the podium to a standing ovation following his induction speech. "None of us go into (coaching) thinking this is the ultimate goal. But it's such a great honor ... a gigantic honor."
Schartner also spearheads Stevenson's Allied Soccer program, which provides opportunities for special needs students to play The Beautiful Game in a co-ed setting. Stevenson has offered the program since the spring of 2014.
"It's the best thing I ever did in soccer," Schartner said. "Able-bodied kids are the 'buddies,' and I think they even get more out of it. It's about giving back, and the players who participate with the student-athletes in the program learn a lot."
Another longtime skipper, West Aurora head coach Joe Sustersic, was named Coach of the Year. Sustersic, who also received the award in 1997 while coaching at Holy Cross, led the Blackhawks to a 16-3-1 overall mark in 2017, his 17th season behind the West Aurora bench. The squad also captured its first Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division championship.
"I appreciate this (honor) a lot because it's more of a team award than an individual stat," Sustersic said. "When I was gone for a week and a half (this season), our assistant coach Kevin Briars (a 2017 IHSSCA Assistant Coach of the Year nominee) was able to fill in. So it's his award as much as mine. As a program, what he did -- and the team -- is more important than what I did.
"Personally, I don't believe I deserve it. There are a lot of great coaches in this association. It is humbling."
Netting Player of the Year honors was Jacobs senior forward Noah Melnick, who potted 31 goals and added 18 assists for the Golden Eagles. Jacobs, champion of the Streamwood Sectional, finished 17-5-1 overall after falling to host St. Charles North by a 2-0 count in supersectional play.
"It's truly an honor ... very cool to get this award," said Melnick, who will continue his academic and soccer careers at the University of Wisconsin. "It's crazy to think I've come this far. My freshman year was a struggle for the whole team, but the next three years we picked it up.
"Everyone came together on the team. So this (award) is big for all of us. My teammates have been there for me from the start. I couldn't have done it without them, and my coach (Anthony Cappello) and my club coach (Yianny Caparos) too.
"To think I'm on the IHSSCA list with all these phenomenal players, it's a great feeling -- a real honor."
Bob Morack, who has amassed 209 wins in the last 14 seasons as head coach at Reavis, earned Soccer Person of the Year honors. Morack was recognized, in part, for his efforts in running the 32-team Windy City Ram Classic tournament in partnership with the Chicago Fire.
"It's nice to be recognized, but it's really a school award -- a community award," said Morack, who led the Rams to a South Suburban Conference Red Division championship this season, as well as a third-straight IHSA regional crown. "I just want to do everything I can to showcase the great game of soccer in our community. It's not a game promoted like other sports, but the kids who do it are a different breed -- very special. So anything to promote the game is really cool."
Assistant Coach of the Year honors went to Randy Chapman, of Edwardsville. Chapman, who's been with the Tigers for 11 years, helped guide the team to a 16-2-4 mark, a Southwestern Conference championship and a Class 3A regional title this season under head coach Mark Heiderscheid.
"To even be mentioned as Assistant Coach of the Year, I'm really flattered and taken aback," Chapman said. "But I'm really honored ... very humbled. It's a great honor, but I have to credit Mark (Heiderscheid). He gives me a lot of freedom, takes a lot of input. We're educators, and we want to help these young men on the right path. It's something I love to do, and to be honored for it is extra special."
O'Fallon received the Myro Rys Sportsmanship Award, accepted by longtime head coach Jason Turkington. The Panthers' skipper cited a host of off-the-field activities his program is involved with -- including collecting items for a local food pantry. In addition, six O'Fallon seniors (Grant Appel, Nathan Martin, Liam Dixon, Adam Hudder, Jacob Koenig and Jackson Nickish) were honored as 2017 Chicago Fire Boys All-State All-Academic team members or made the honorable mention list.
"We win some big games, and we lose some," Turkington said. "But at the end of the day, are we good role models and mentors -- and are we representing the community the best way we can? That's what it's about: the importance of academics and being well-rounded young men, and being a dependable human being in society."
Geneva senior midfielder Nick Dispensa earned a spot on the Chicago Fire All-State All-Academic First Team. Dispensa, who's considering Augustana College and Lehigh University as possible destinations to study business and finance, has a 3.99 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.
A member of the National Honor Society and NEHS (National English Honor Society), Dispensa also serves on the Geneva High School Discipline Committee and is active in French Club and Key Club as well. He also finds time to volunteer with non-profit organization Feed My Starving Children, and coaches kids in a Geneva Park District soccer camp.
"It's a huge achievement for me," Dispensa said regarding his All-State All-Academic selection. "I'm very committed to soccer. I love the game. Academics are very important, too, But being involved with other stuff is equally important. You get to experience other things in life besides school, and you form a lot of bonds and friendships."
David Quinn, Senior Account Executive with the Chicago Fire, said, "These are kids, if you're a parent and it's your son, you'd be really proud. Most of these kids are go-getters. They're self-starters. They take the initiative, and they're on their way to being good citizens in the adult world. They're not going to sit back and wait for life to happen. They're going to make it happen."
Quinn pointed to Eric Godines, a senior midfielder at St. Anne High School who was named to the All-State All-Academic First Team, as a prime example. Godines, who finished with a 3.28/4.0 GPA, frequently works long hours on his family's farm, in addition to his membership in a variety of clubs. Yet he still finds time to tutor teammates who are struggling with academics. In a youth soccer program in Pembroke Township, he plans practices, sets up and closes the field, coaches and officiates.
"That's someone who does it for the love of the game and his community," Quinn said. "The fact that he's doing all that while he's in school, that stands out to me."
IHSSCA presents 47th annual Boys Soccer Honors Banquet
By Ken Keenan
ELMHURST -- Celebrating another season of successes -- on the pitch, in the classroom and behind the scenes -- and career achievements, the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association (IHSSCA) conducted its 47th annual Boys Soccer Honors program on Nov. 16 at Diplomat West Banquet Hall.
The group inducted the 58th member into its Hall of Fame and named the Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Assistant Coach of the Year, Soccer Person of the Year, and the Myro Rys Sportsmanship Award winner. In addition, scores of student-athletes were honored as All-State and All-Section and honorable mention All-Section selections, coaching milestones were recognized, and the Chicago Fire announced its 2017 All-State All-Academic teams and honorable mention members.
Drawing the loudest applause of the festivities was 2017-18 IHSSCA Hall of Fame inductee Mark Schartner, who has served as head boys coach at Stevenson High School for the past 31 seasons. Schartner compiled an overall mark of 409-195-96 (with only two sub-.500 seasons) as the Patriots' skipper, including a run to a fourth place finish in the 2012 IHSA Class 3A state tournament. He also served as head coach of the girls team at Stevenson for 19 seasons through 2013 and chalked up 225 wins and no losing campaigns.
"I'm completely humbled and honored to join some of my closest coaching friends in the IHSSCA Hall of Fame," said Schartner, shortly after he left the podium to a standing ovation following his induction speech. "None of us go into (coaching) thinking this is the ultimate goal. But it's such a great honor ... a gigantic honor."
Schartner also spearheads Stevenson's Allied Soccer program, which provides opportunities for special needs students to play The Beautiful Game in a co-ed setting. Stevenson has offered the program since the spring of 2014.
"It's the best thing I ever did in soccer," Schartner said. "Able-bodied kids are the 'buddies,' and I think they even get more out of it. It's about giving back, and the players who participate with the student-athletes in the program learn a lot."
Another longtime skipper, West Aurora head coach Joe Sustersic, was named Coach of the Year. Sustersic, who also received the award in 1997 while coaching at Holy Cross, led the Blackhawks to a 16-3-1 overall mark in 2017, his 17th season behind the West Aurora bench. The squad also captured its first Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division championship.
"I appreciate this (honor) a lot because it's more of a team award than an individual stat," Sustersic said. "When I was gone for a week and a half (this season), our assistant coach Kevin Briars (a 2017 IHSSCA Assistant Coach of the Year nominee) was able to fill in. So it's his award as much as mine. As a program, what he did -- and the team -- is more important than what I did.
"Personally, I don't believe I deserve it. There are a lot of great coaches in this association. It is humbling."
Netting Player of the Year honors was Jacobs senior forward Noah Melnick, who potted 31 goals and added 18 assists for the Golden Eagles. Jacobs, champion of the Streamwood Sectional, finished 17-5-1 overall after falling to host St. Charles North by a 2-0 count in supersectional play.
"It's truly an honor ... very cool to get this award," said Melnick, who will continue his academic and soccer careers at the University of Wisconsin. "It's crazy to think I've come this far. My freshman year was a struggle for the whole team, but the next three years we picked it up.
"Everyone came together on the team. So this (award) is big for all of us. My teammates have been there for me from the start. I couldn't have done it without them, and my coach (Anthony Cappello) and my club coach (Yianny Caparos) too.
"To think I'm on the IHSSCA list with all these phenomenal players, it's a great feeling -- a real honor."
Bob Morack, who has amassed 209 wins in the last 14 seasons as head coach at Reavis, earned Soccer Person of the Year honors. Morack was recognized, in part, for his efforts in running the 32-team Windy City Ram Classic tournament in partnership with the Chicago Fire.
"It's nice to be recognized, but it's really a school award -- a community award," said Morack, who led the Rams to a South Suburban Conference Red Division championship this season, as well as a third-straight IHSA regional crown. "I just want to do everything I can to showcase the great game of soccer in our community. It's not a game promoted like other sports, but the kids who do it are a different breed -- very special. So anything to promote the game is really cool."
Assistant Coach of the Year honors went to Randy Chapman, of Edwardsville. Chapman, who's been with the Tigers for 11 years, helped guide the team to a 16-2-4 mark, a Southwestern Conference championship and a Class 3A regional title this season under head coach Mark Heiderscheid.
"To even be mentioned as Assistant Coach of the Year, I'm really flattered and taken aback," Chapman said. "But I'm really honored ... very humbled. It's a great honor, but I have to credit Mark (Heiderscheid). He gives me a lot of freedom, takes a lot of input. We're educators, and we want to help these young men on the right path. It's something I love to do, and to be honored for it is extra special."
O'Fallon received the Myro Rys Sportsmanship Award, accepted by longtime head coach Jason Turkington. The Panthers' skipper cited a host of off-the-field activities his program is involved with -- including collecting items for a local food pantry. In addition, six O'Fallon seniors (Grant Appel, Nathan Martin, Liam Dixon, Adam Hudder, Jacob Koenig and Jackson Nickish) were honored as 2017 Chicago Fire Boys All-State All-Academic team members or made the honorable mention list.
"We win some big games, and we lose some," Turkington said. "But at the end of the day, are we good role models and mentors -- and are we representing the community the best way we can? That's what it's about: the importance of academics and being well-rounded young men, and being a dependable human being in society."
Geneva senior midfielder Nick Dispensa earned a spot on the Chicago Fire All-State All-Academic First Team. Dispensa, who's considering Augustana College and Lehigh University as possible destinations to study business and finance, has a 3.99 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.
A member of the National Honor Society and NEHS (National English Honor Society), Dispensa also serves on the Geneva High School Discipline Committee and is active in French Club and Key Club as well. He also finds time to volunteer with non-profit organization Feed My Starving Children, and coaches kids in a Geneva Park District soccer camp.
"It's a huge achievement for me," Dispensa said regarding his All-State All-Academic selection. "I'm very committed to soccer. I love the game. Academics are very important, too, But being involved with other stuff is equally important. You get to experience other things in life besides school, and you form a lot of bonds and friendships."
David Quinn, Senior Account Executive with the Chicago Fire, said, "These are kids, if you're a parent and it's your son, you'd be really proud. Most of these kids are go-getters. They're self-starters. They take the initiative, and they're on their way to being good citizens in the adult world. They're not going to sit back and wait for life to happen. They're going to make it happen."
Quinn pointed to Eric Godines, a senior midfielder at St. Anne High School who was named to the All-State All-Academic First Team, as a prime example. Godines, who finished with a 3.28/4.0 GPA, frequently works long hours on his family's farm, in addition to his membership in a variety of clubs. Yet he still finds time to tutor teammates who are struggling with academics. In a youth soccer program in Pembroke Township, he plans practices, sets up and closes the field, coaches and officiates.
"That's someone who does it for the love of the game and his community," Quinn said. "The fact that he's doing all that while he's in school, that stands out to me."