As the warm summer break comes to an end, Upper School fall sports teams have been hard at work during preseason, preparing for an exciting season.

As the players are training for the upcoming season, the coaches are preparing too. The coaches help the players prepare both physically and mentally for upcoming games, meets, or matches. Mr. Bobby Starks is the athletic director at Parker, and he is excited about the upcoming season.

“I look forward to the liveliness of having our student-athletes back on campus,” Starks said. “It is always fun to see our student-athletes when they first come back from summer break. The energy is palpable.”

Starks described the hiring process for coaches as “time-consuming and sophisticated.” 

“We employ a rigorous vetting process to ensure that we hire coaches that are knowledgeable about the sport, have a youth development background, and are good fits for Parker,” Starks said.

“I believe a key part of my job is to inspire my students to be determined and persistent – and yes, to work as hard as they can,” Cross Country Coach Minnie Skakun said, “In high school, some very successful, powerhouse programs toe the start line. They want the W as much as we do, and the only way to set yourself apart is to put in the hard miles.” 

Skakun has experience being the Middle School Cross Country Coach, the Middle School Track and Field Coach, and the Upper School Track and Field coach at Parker. She is also training for her eighteenth marathon this year. Working alongside Skakun is Coach Ted Ledford, who is the new Assistant Cross Country Coach.

The field hockey teams are also preparing for another season of work. The varsity team is coached by Coach Misha Geller. Geller has coached eighteen seasons at Parker, three as head varsity coach. Assistant coaching the varsity team is former Junior Varsity Assistant Coach Reilly Bruce. This season will be Bruce’s second year at Parker.

Senior and Varsity Field Hockey Captain Lauryn Rauschenburgere is excited to see how far the team can go. “Every year we’ve been getting further and further and I think this season will be no exception,” Rauschenburger said.

Rauschenburger likes the female coaching staff. “I’ve found that an all-female staff is really understanding of the needs of an all-female team,” Rauschenburger said.

Coach Courtney Carone ‘11 and Coach Betsey Ehlen are coaching the Junior Varsity team this year. Carone has been coaching for Upper School for three years now, and it is her fifth year coaching overall. She also attended Parker for fourteen years and played field hockey from sixth through twelfth grade. 

This year, the varsity soccer team is planning on continuing strong. Leading the team is Head Coach Neil Curran, and alongside him is Coach Patrick Stanton, the Eighth Grade Assistant.

The junior varsity soccer team is split up into two teams: Junior Varsity Blue and Junior Varsity White. This year, the new head coach for Junior Varsity White is Coach Amelia Chauhan. Chauhan has a lot of experience with playing soccer. She went to school all fourteen years at Parker, and she got second place in the state while playing soccer here. She has also played at Lake Forest College in Illinois. Coach Chauhan thinks that having played the sport has helped her as a coach.

“I think it does help that I played the sport,” Chauhan said. “It helps me connect with the student-athletes as well as remembering what worked and what I didn’t like as a player. It also helps me come up with ideas for practices.”

Working with Chauhan is Assistant Coach Tyler Heidtke. This is his first year coaching at Parker, although he has coached at Park View School in Morton Grove and was a volunteer played soccer at the varsity level in high school and describes his coaching style as “purposeful and receptive.”

“Purposeful in that I demand a lot out of my athletes but receptive because I strive to build positive relationships to help my players be successful both on and off the field,” Heidtke said.

Coaching the Junior Varsity Blue team is Coach Noah Wolff. Accompanying Coach Wolff is assistant coach, Coach Edward McDugle. Coach Max Jones is another coach who will be working as a part-time coach to help with the three teams. 

This year the varsity volleyball team is planning to continue the work. The team is coached by Coach Brittany Lo, and assistant coached by Coach Courtney Barlow, who is new to Parker.

The junior varsity volleyball coach, Coach Tajah Bell, is also new to Parker. This is her second year coaching volleyball. She described her coaching style “as one that focuses on developing the player in all aspects of the game.”

“Whether it be physical or mental, I want my players to learn and appreciate the game,” said Coach Bell.

Alongside Coach Bell is assistant coach, Coach Christopher Riff, who is also a part of the math department in the upper school.

As the volleyball teams are going strong, the girls’ tennis team is working hard on the court. They have welcomed another new coach, Coach Brandon Smith. This is Smith’s second season coaching tennis at Parker but his first season as the coach of girls tennis. He has coached tennis outside of Parker for over twenty years. Smith feels as his coaching style “aligns with Parker’s visions and values.”

“I believe in focusing on the process over the outcome, treating each student-athlete fairly, and to inspire each player to maximize their abilities,” said Smith.

 Alongside Smith are assistant coaches, Coach Jacqueline Dawkins and Coach Anthony O’Neal. 

This year there are two captains for the golf team: Nick Skok and Scott Ingall. This year will be Ingall’s last year as a student at Parker. He is excited to keep improving in golf this year.

“I love how our coaches always address each golfer individually,” said Ingall, “They really make an effort to help and correct us based on how we play individually.”

Coach Tim O’Connor, the head golf coach this year and he is also one of the Eighth Grade math teachers.

This year will be assistant Coach Justin Taylor’s second year coaching golf at Parker. But he has been coaching golf on and off for about ten years. He describes his coaching style as “laid back.” In conclusion, Taylor’s perspective captured the value of a coach to the team. 

“I try to coach and mentor in a way that attributes to life lessons,” Taylor said. “Mistakes are always going to happen. We are human. It’s how we can learn and grow from those mistakes.”