As another calendar year comes to a close, Fenwick has plenty of athletic accomplishments to celebrate. Pioneer Press contributor Rich Mayor recently caught up with Fenwick athletic director Scott Thies to discuss what the Friars did well in 2019 and what to expect from the school in 2020.
Q: This calendar year, what do you think the main highlight was for the Fenwick athletic department?
A: Our girls hockey team won its first state title, so that stands out plenty. It was really neat. We played New Trier at the United Center. Giant crowd, we started out down and rallied back. Ellie Kaiser hit a penally shot to tie the game at 2; what a moment that was. It was just a cool experience for our kids, because I’m not sure how many of them had been to a girls hockey game before. It was great to see the support for the girls, who did something the school had never done.
Q: Does a first-ever state-title program mean a little more?
A: I think it does. Every sport has its own culture and following, and to have one of our programs that doesn’t receive as much notoriety or publicity as a lot of the others, to see them reach the peak of its existence is awesome. And to see how many people came out to support them? It’s just really neat.
Q: How about a coach? Was there one who went above and beyond in 2019?
A: Girls water polo coach Jack Wagner, he won his 600th game this year. Talk about a guy who has been as successful as any coach in Illinois, in any sport. He’s done it. So we had a bunch of alumni come back, a bunch of parents came back to celebrate him. The guy has won tons of state titles and sent many girls to play for great colleges and universities across the country. He demands a lot, he expects a lot. It’s never easy when you play for Coach Wagner, but he really cares about all of his kids and he gets them to do things that they wouldn’t be able to do on their own. They’re also always peaking at the right time. He has a knack for that.
Q: Did any specific individuals stand out to you?
A: McKenzie Moorman is one. She’s playing volleyball at South Carolina. She had two older brothers who played football at Fenwick, they were both really good student-athletes. McKenzie was phenomenal. She really embodied what it means to be a student-athlete at Fenwick. She did great things in the classroom, always respectful, always a great teammate and had great success on the floor. Liam Hutchinson is the other one. He won the 500 freestyle at the state finals this past year. He’s now swimming at Notre Dame. We talk about student-athletes, and having your priorities in line? He embodied that. He set a great example for everyone around him.
Q: Are there any events coming up you’re excited about? Any renovations to facilities coming in the new year?
A: We’re in the midst of a capital campaign right now. We’re building a parking garage next to the school, and the next phase will be a student union, a multipurpose gym and some other things. The parking garage will be done by the start of school next year, and then we’ll start the next phase. I’m really excited about this winter season, too. Our boys and girls basketball teams are both currently ranked in the top 20. Our girls are off to their best start in over 10 years, so I’m really happy for Coach (Dave) Power and that program.
Q: Football coach Gene Nudo was dismissed from the program during the season. What would you say you learned from that situation?
A: Right now, for us, we’re excited about the direction of the program. We hired coach Matt Battaglia, and I wish Coach Nudo all the best. Our kids, by and large, had very positive experiences under Coach Nudo. Coach Battaglia is all about the student-athlete. He’s all about helping our kids from Point A to Point B. He’s high-energy, passionate about football, really hungry, and with that, he’s extremely knowledgeable. He’s going to bring an offense and a culture that’s really unique. We’re going to be really fast, really up-tempo style of football, which is where football is heading. So we’re going to be on the cutting edge of all of that.
Q: What are you, personally, most looking forward to about Fenwick athletics in 2020?
A: I always look forward to watching our kids compete. For me, it’s the most fulfilling part of this job. With that, seeing them develop and grow over the years is always awesome. It’s also great to see young alumni come back to support our kids; a number of them have come back to join our coaching staffs and help our kids. Very similar to how we have a lot of teachers come back to teach here. It’s one of the things that makes Fenwick special and unique.
Rich Mayor is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press