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| Joe Parks - Head Coach (Distance) |
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8th year
coaching (3rd as
Palatine Head
Coach) BA: Southern Illinois University ('00) - Physical Education MS: Northern Illinois University ('09) - Kinesiology with a specialization in Exercise Physiology/Fitness Leadership 2006 Illinois Boys Cross Country Coach of the Year (St. Charles North) 2009 Illinois Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year (Palatine) Coach Parks came to Palatine High School in the fall of 2007 where he currently teaches in the driver education department. The 2013 season marks his third year at the helm of the Lady Pirates track team and fourth year in charge of the distance crew. He assisted previous head coach Steve Currins as a volunteer assistant (distance) in '08 &'09. While at Palatine he has been a part of four top ten team state track finishes; 9th in 2008, an IHSA state runner-up finish in 2009, 10th place in 2010, and 9th in 2011. In his first season in charge of the distance crew in 2010, he helped lead girls to state qualifying marks in the 3200m relay, 3200m run (2), 800m run (2), and the 1600m run (2), where the 3200m relay placed 4th in a time of 9:17.4 and Ruth Allen finished as the state runner-up in the 800m run. Throughout that season the team set a school record in the distance medley relay (12:25) and Ruth Allen set a new standard in the 800m with a time of 2:11.5. Since that first season the 3200m Relay has placed 3rd in 2011 and 4th in 2012. In 2011 Sarah McIntosh won the Class 3A 1600m title in a time of 5:01.1. Prior to coming to Palatine, Parks spent two years at St. Charles North HS coaching the boys cross country and track teams. While at St. Charles North, he assisted the North Stars team to a 3rd place finish in 2005 and was head coach in 2006 when they finished 2nd in the IHSA State Cross Country meet. In track he coached eight athletes to All-State honors in '06 & '07 and four North Stars earned All-American status with a 3rd place finish at the 2006 Nike Outdoor Nationals in the 4 x Mile Relay in a time of 17:32 (4:24 per mile). In Parks' two years coaching track at SCN his team broke 8:00 in the 3200m relay ten times with a best of 7:47.3. His 2006 distance crew saw seven boys split 1:59.4 for faster for 800m. Coach Parks graduated from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 2000 with a bachelors degree in Physical Education. While at SIU, he a was a member of the cross country and track teams. He was a three-time Missouri Valley Conference Champion (5k & 3000m steeplechase), six-time All-MVC, and was a scoring member of SIU's 1995 team to qualify for the NCAA XC Championships (22nd) as a freshman. On the track he was a 1999 NCAA provisional qualifier in the 3000m steeplechase and is 3rd on the all-time SIU performance list (8:48.65) in that event. He holds a personal best of 8:43.6 (2000) in the 3k steeple. He attended Eldorado High School ('95) in southern Illinois. He was a three-time state qualifier in cross country, placing 4th in 1993 & 1994, and a four-year state qualifier and 5-time all-state in track, running 9:20 in the 3200m run and 4:19 in the 1600m run. Coach Parks began running in the sixth grade with his twin brother, Jeremy. "The first day of practice the coaches asked everyone if they wanted to be distance runners or sprinters...only three of us (Parks, brother, one other) agreed to try distance. We were lined up for an 800m time trial. My brother and I finished together in 3:06, the other kid dropped out. I was hooked." Coach Parks currently resides in Crystal Lake with his wife Jennifer (née Monaco), daughter's Sophia and Josie, and son Eli. Jennifer was state champ (3200m Relay) and an All-Stater (1600m) in track for Palatine in the mid-90's and was a member of two IHSA State XC runner-up teams ('93 & '94) and an IHSA State XC Championship team in 1995. Career Coaching Stats Contact Info: jparks@d211.org 847-755-1783 - Drivers Ed Dept |
| Steve Currins - Assistant Coach (Sprints/Jumps/Hurdles) |
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39th year
coaching BA: University of Illinois ('71) - Mathematics MS: Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville ('75) - Physical Education MS: Governors State University - Administration ITCCCA Hall of Fame ('97) 7x Illinois Coach of the Year 2009 Illinois Girls Track & Field Coach of the Year 2004 National High School Cross Country Coach of the Year 2002 National High School Track & Field Coach of the Year finalist Legendary coach Steve Currins ranks as one of the most successful high school cross country and track & field coaches in the nation. Before stepping down prior to the 2009 season, Coach Currins was head coach of Palatine girls cross country since 1991, after taking over an already successful program that had won two state cross country titles from outgoing coach Pat Gleason, and he remains as a volunteer with cross country and is the current girls sprint & jumps coach in track. The 7-time Illinois Coach of the Year and 2004 National Coach of the Year counts the 2013 track season as his 40th year of coaching. As a head coach his teams have earned a total of eighteen Illinois state trophies in track and cross country, four of which were IHSA State Championships as head coach of the Lady Pirates girls cross country team. He has coached 20 IHSA individual state champions and hundreds of athletes to IHSA All-State honors. Before coming to Palatine, Coach Currins had successful stints as head girls coach at Crete-Monee High School and head boys and girls coach at Beecher High School. While at Crete-Monee he coached the great Shelly McBride. McBride was IHSA state XC champion in 1984 , 3-time IHSA 800m champion, and won the 1600m title in her senior year. She ran 2:07.3 for 800m as a junior in 1984. During her senior year at state, she ran 2:07 for 800m and 4:49 for 1600m, plus anchored 1600m relay in 55.8. Her 800m & 1600m state records still stand. Coach Currins' humble journey to legendary status began more than 40 years ago as a student-athlete in the sleepy Mississippi river town of Alton, Illinois. Currins began his running career for his junior high school team under the tutelage of hall of fame coach Jim Wigger. Currins was a decorated athlete, qualifying for IHSA state cross country three times, and ran a track best 4:22 mile as senior. He went on to compete on an athletic scholarship at the University of Illinois-Champaign. Coach Currins continued to excel as a post-collegiate runner, putting up some impressive stats: such as a 2:37 Chicago Marathon at the age of 42 and a Drake Relays Masters 800m championship in a time of 2:02. Coach Currins currently resides in Palatine with his wife Gloria. He has two daughters, Elisa Bragga (PHS grad - '92) and Carolyn Scanlon (PHS grad - '96). Both Elisa and Carolyn were All-State runners and members of four IHSA state champion cross country teams while running for Palatine in the 90's. Elisa continued her running collegiately at the University of Kentucky & University of Alabama, while Carolyn competed at the University of Missouri. Contact Info: scrurrins@d211.org |
| Jason Kurey - Assistant Coach (Throws) |
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4th year
coaching BA: Illinois State University ('03) - Physical Education MS: Concordia University ('12) - Educational Leadership Contact Info: jkurey@d211.org 847-755-1783 - Driver Education |
| Katie Conway - Assistant Coach (Sprints/Hurdles/Relays) |
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7th year
coaching (2nd
year at
Palatine) BA: Elementary Education, Lewis University ('04) MA: School Guidance Counseling, Lewis University ('07) Coach Conway joins our cross country staff for her first year after serving as an assistant in track (sprints/hurdles/relays) last fall. She came to Palatine in the fall of 2011 as a guidance counselor, bringing with her a wealth of track & field experience, both as an athlete and coach. Prior to coming to Palatine, Coach Conway had coaching stints at her alma mater Lewis University as a graduate assistant (2005-2007), an assistant and eventual head girls track & field coach at Marian Central Catholic HS (2008-2009), and served as an assistant for both boys and girls track in 2011at Woodstock HS. As an athlete, Coach Conway was a NCAA Division II National Qualifier in the 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m relays at Lewis University, earning All-American status for a 5th place finish as a member of the 4 x 100m relay at the 2003 NCAA Division II National Championships. She was 9-time All-GLVC and was a 5-time conference champion. She ranks in the top 10 all-time performers at Lewis in six events. Coach Conway attended Marian Central Catholic HS in Woodstock. There she was a 12x IHSA state meet qualifier, a 3x state medalist (placing 3rd and 5th in the 100m and 200m in 1999), and is the school record holder for 200m. She is a member of Marian Central Catholic Hall of Fame. Coach Conway is very passionate about the sport of track & field and has been a tremendous addition to our staff. Like many athletes she participated in many other sports before discovering her abilities and love for the sport of track & field. Conway says, "I joined track my freshman year of high school because when I played softball in middle school my coaches told me to “just get to first” because I was fast enough to steal the rest of the bases. I developed a respect for the sport instantly. It brought out competiveness in me I hadn’t yet discovered. I find track and field to be athletics at its rawest form. Times, distances, and heights are clear-cut and the competition is against your own personal marks." Contact Info: kconway@d211.org Guidance Counselor |
| Heather Dworak - Volunteer Assistant Coach (Distance) |
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1st year
coaching BA: Contact Info: hdworak@d211.org 847-755-1815 Science Teacher |