Latin School of Chicago

Dave VanderMeulen Jan Wilson varsity boys basketball coach golf coach A 15-year veteran of Latin, Dave VanderMeulen has been the varsity boys basketball coach since 1994. He has been named All-District Coach of the Year three times and Independent School League Coach of the Year five times. He has led the team to four ISL championships and three regional championships. "My goal or mission when I coach is to develop characteristics in athletes that will allow them to be successful in basketball and other competitive environments in the future," says VanderMeulen. He believes the values young people learn through participation in athletics and the role that coaches can play in athletes' lives are crucial. Jan Wilson has been coaching at Latin in some capacity for 30 years. She has coached middle school girls field hockey, softball and basketball; upper school girls basketball and softball; and the lower school cross country team. In her role as lower school athletic director, she also led the Superstars basketball, volleyball and indoor soccer leagues. Wilson currently coaches the upper school golf team, which won the 2008 Independent School League title and regional championship. "My goals for coaching are to get a group of kids to play together as a team, play hard and reach their athletic potential – while having fun. I teach and demonstrate teamwork, sportsmanship and mutual respect. I believe mental preparation is equally as important as physical preparation. I want to help athletes find balance between the desire to win and enjoyment of the sport." Having been a coach in all divisions of the school, Wilson has had a unique opportunity to work with students as they have grown. "When you ask upper school students why they come back to work in the lower school Superstars program, many of them will tell you that they had a great time playing when they were in the lower school. They remember fondly building friendships with their coaches and want to pay it forward. Following students that had their first exposure to athletics in the lower school and hearing about their athletic accomplishments in the upper school gives me a sense of fulfillment." According to Wilson, one of the strengths of Latin's athletic program is that it encourages children and young adults to participate in a wide variety of sports. "There is a sport for every student who desires to be part of a team. Unfortunately, I see trends toward specializing in one sport at an earlier age. Children need an opportunity to experience many different physical activities throughout their early and adolescent years to guide them in making healthy lifestyle choices" "Being receptive to feedback is necessary to their development as an athlete – and as a person." "The life lessons learned when competing in interscholastic sports are often as important as lessons learned in the classroom. Commitment, teamwork, strong character, dealing with adversity, leadership, tradition, goal setting and being part of something bigger than yourself are all critical values that can be taught through athletic participation. Coaches often spend more time with students on a daily basis than classroom teachers and therefore have a great opportunity to affect students in a positive way. It has been rewarding to work at a school whose philosophies support this ideal, and I consider it one of the true strengths of a Latin School education." A guiding principle for VanderMeulen is excellence – expecting it of the coaches, the players and the program. "I like to think that at Latin we can achieve excellence in academics and athletics. Our students want to achieve, and many are motivated to put in the effort and commitment necessary. The quality and size of our program rivals those at much larger schools. And, we are an athletic program that prides itself on its competitiveness, sportsmanship and strong reputation throughout the state." • – Evelyne Girardet Latin School of Chicago 9

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