In 2011 we finally got over the hump and won Palatine's first state title behind a true team effort.  What can I say?  Peter Tomkiewicz, Anthony Gregorio, Marcus Garcia, Tim Johnson, Tim Meincke, Christian Zambrano, and Noah Brown - you guys made all my dreams come true.  All seven of you are state champions.  After state the boys went on to place 5th at the Nike Cross National meet while competing for the Palatine XC Club.  I also had the good fortune to coach Steve Finley in 2005, who won the individual state title with an incredible lean at the wire.  I have also been fortunate enough to coach Mat Smoody and Alec Bollman to three total state championships in the 800 and 1600 meter runs.

I gained experience in the sport by serving as a four-year manager under Gary Wieneke at the University of Illinois.  I also coached for two seasons at Moline High School with my father, Jeff Quick.  After volunteering for two years, I took over as distance coach for the Palatine track team and remain in that role today.

In addition to my coaching duties, I teach English and Gifted classes at Palatine, am constant in my devotion to my wife, kids, and the music band Phish, and need to find another hobby other than programming the cross country team Web site.  Since 2003, I have improved my marathon PR from 3:05 to 2:58 to a 2:53.29.  I also ran 2:57.58 in the 2006 Boston Marathon to place in the top thousand.  For years I aspired to run under 2:50 and and stop winning 2nd place trophies and win 1st place trophies.  Finally, I did both within a month - 2:49.37 in October 2011 and state champs in November 2011.

Matt has quickly made himself an indispensable member of all of the teams he has worked with.  While student teaching at Hersey, he volunteered with both the cross country and track teams, serving as a training partner for Kevin Havel who achieved an All-State finish in track.  In 2006, he accepted a teaching job at Schaumburg and was a volunteer coach as that team won an IHSA Regional and placed 3rd in the IHSA State finals. 

Since coming to Palatine in 2007, Matt has volunteered full-time for both the cross country and track teams.  He coached the 2007 team which placed 3rd at the IHSA State meet.  He took on a bigger role in 2008-2009 as we swept the MSL, IHSA Regional, and IHSA Sectional titles en route to 10th and 6th place state finishes.  As official assistant in 2010, he helped guide us to an MSL Conference title as well as an IHSA Regional title and 4th place at the IHSA State meet. 

Fred also served as assistant during the 1994-2000 seasons under head coach Ron Theberge.  The duo of Theberge and Miller lead the team to a 5th place finish in 1995 as well as a 12th place finish in 1997.  Fred also enjoyed a long and successful tenure as boys track coach during the 1980s and 1990s.  He teaches the adaptive physical education classes at Palatine.

Fred's positive attitude and high expectations mix well with his emphasis that running has to be fun.  Fred continues to mold the cross country program in the image of his coach, Palatine legend Joe Johnson, and continues to be an integral part in a long line of Pirate success stories.

Ron Theberge began his coaching career at Palatine as an assistant to Fred Miller in 1992.  The two enjoyed considerable success those first two seasons, placing 5th and 2nd in the IHSA State meet while helping Jon Chermak to All-State honors as a sophomore.  Ron also served as the distance coach in track and guided Erik Dieckmann to a state championship in the 1600 meter run in the spring of 1994.  Dieckmann would go on to be NCAA Division III national champion while at North Central College.

Theberge took over as head cross country coach in 1994 and took the team to a 6th place finish in 1995 and a 12th place finish in 1997.  Under Ron's leadership Jon Chermak placed 6th in the 1995 state meet while earning two top five finishes in the 1600 meter run in his junior and senior years. 

Joe Johnson at his finest

Joe Johnson is the reason that generations of young men from Palatine have been able to experience cross country in particular and running in general on such a high level.  A true passionate soul, Joe Johnson molded both the traditions and the culture of our team.  He called his best men "All-Time Greats," started The Auction, The Weekly Planet, Remember Whens..., Alibis..., and cheerleaders as managers, and left a legacy of success for all of us to follow.  Beginning with his first qualifying team in 1976, he guided 12 teams to the IHSA State meet.  Joe's teams finished in the top six four times, and his 1980 team has never been bested by either average time or a lower score in the state meet. 

As a cross country and track coach, Joe shaped the legacies of more All-Time Greats than I can mention.  He coached the great Bill Bahnfleth to a 47.0 400 meter dash in 1967 along with two state titles, helped Mark Visk win the Two Mile run and set the state record, and guided his greatest talent, Chuck Bell, to second place in the Mile run as a sophomore.  Joe helped Fred Miller and then later Dave Kennedy to set the 800 meter school records in the 1970s before tutoring distance legends Tom Johnson, Lou Guerra, Andy Estes, and Bob Watson to All-State honors.  Bob Watson won the state cross country meet in 1989.