Coaches Corner: Kewanee High School’s Tim Atwell Named Athletic Director of the Year

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Tim Atwell was named Class 1A/2A State Division Athletic Director of the Year at the recent Illinois Athletic Directors Association Conference.

A 1984 graduate of Geneseo High School, Atwell is the Athletic Director and Driver Education teacher at Kewanee High School. He is the son of Kenney Atwell, Geneseo, and the late Genendal Atwell. Atwell lives in Atkinson.

The biography information received about Atwell included his educational background which includes an Associate of Arts Degree from Black Hawk College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education form Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville; a Master’s Degree in Education Special Education from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Western Illinois University.

Information received from the Athletic Directors Association stated< “This strong educational foundation has equipped Tim with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in his role,”

“With over 30 years of experience in education and coaching, Tim has served in various positions, including teacher, coach and athletic director. Since 2010, he has been the Athletic Director at Kewanee High School, where he oversees a wide range of sports and activities, manages a team of coaches, and ensures compliance with IHSA policies and regulations.”

“Tim’s service extends beyond the school to the community. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Kewanee A’s Baseball organization and has been actively involved in promoting the school and its students. Tim’s efforts to provide pictures of student-athletes to the local news media have helped showcase the achievements of Kewanee High School students and athletes.”

Coaches Corner: Leafs 'to get a fresh start' Under Furlong

By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current

Geneseo football fans know that new Leafs head coach Matt Furlong comes to us after 12 seasons at Cary-Grove, a northwest suburban, multi-state championship power where he was the defensive coordinator.

One of the conditions for getting this job was that he honor the tradition of the Geneseo program.

So, what defense is he going to run? And will his Leafs still run the ball?

Just to put you at ease, Cary-Grove plays absolutely stifling defense. So did Geneseo while coach Bob Reade was building the program, and beyond.

THE DEFENSE

“We'll be taking a lot of what we do from my 12 years at Cary-Grove,” Furlong said in a May 8 interview.

“Our schemes will include multiple fronts,” he said. “We'll take advantage of our strengths to force opponents out of what they want to do.”

The coach said the Geneseo secondary “will use various zone coverages, but we'll use some matchups, based on the kind of athletes we have.”

“A big part of this is building a strong foundation, using the fundamentals,” Furlong said. “The key will be getting our guys to react at the snap, and getting them to the football.”

“There are a lot of different ways to do that,” Furlong said. He said keys will be a lot of repetitions in practice, and a word that came up several times in our conversation . . .execution.

Furlong has been studying Geneseo on tape. “I'm seeing similarities (to Cary-Grove),” in principle,” he said.

“We want to defeat the opponents' defensive linemen,” Furlong said. “Tackling drills and leverage will be important.”

“Early in the season, we'll focus on the basics and get in as many reps as we can.”

“Putting in time and work leads to execution on Friday night,” Furlong said.

THE OFFENSE

Furlong described the Cary-Grove offense as a modern version of the wing-T, which he said many of the state's stronger programs run now.

“Our offense will be run-based, with play-action passing mixed in,” he said. “It has a lot of flexbone principles.”

You'll recall that I sometimes called Bob Reade's offense a “wingbone,” because of the wishbone principles it included. The Leafs also could throw from it – and did.

“There has to be a connection between our defense and our offense,” Furlong said.

“One is physicality. We need to finish off our blocks,” he said.

“The offense is adaptable. There are a lot of ways you can get the ball to a guy.”

Will fans recognize the Geneseo offense?

“We may at times look a little different formation-wise,” he said. That includes some time running from a shotgun, “because it opens up possibilities,” he said.

PROGRAM IN GENERAL

“Geneseo has an identity as a program. We can't be complacent,” he said.

Furlong said “this will be giving the program a fresh start.”

“It's not a one-year thing,” he said. “I'll need to have patience.”

“I'm anxious to see the kids on the field, so we can see their strengths,” the coach said.

Furlong is a big believer in strength training and having his players in other sports, which he said “provides training and enhances competitiveness.”

Those also can lead to. . . . great execution. 

Coaches Corner: GHS Senior Wants to Help Athletes and Coaches Become “Unbreakable” - By Claudia Loucks

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Delivered and Unbreakable – Non-profit programs that Isabella McDaniel founded in her efforts to help others.

The Geneseo High School senior has scheduled an Unbreakable session from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Friday, June 7, at the GFAC (Geneseo Foundation Athletic Center), located at 700 North State St., just north of the high school building.

She described her recent endeavor: “Unbreakable is more than a workshop and program; it’s a transformative journey designed to fortify athletes mentally, equipping them with the resilience and focus needed to excel in their game. Through tailored mental training sessions, Unbreakable empowers athletes to navigate challenges with unwavering determination. Moreover, by guiding coaches and players on unlocking purpose, the program fosters environments that prioritize athlete mental health, ensuring they thrive both on and off the field.”

The free session on June 7 will include breakout sessions, activities and community, McDaniel said.

“At Unbreakable, our vision extends beyond mere athletic performance, she said. “We redefine the very essence of sports culture by championing mental health, purpose, and holistic well-being. Through engaging speakers and workshops, we instill in every athlete a deep sense of purpose that transcends the boundaries of the game. We know that when athletes are fueled by a clear understanding of their purpose, they unlock boundless potential both on and off the field.”

“Moreover, we are committed to nurturing environments that prioritize mental health and well-being,” McDaniel added. “By fostering a culture of open communication, support, and empathy, we create safe spaces where athletes feel empowered to prioritize their mental wellness.”

She said the values of Unbreakable include:

-“Purpose – We empower athletes to discover and embrace their purpose, guiding them to align their actions with their deeper motivations and aspirations.”

-“Mental Health – We create environments that foster open dialogue, support, and resources for mental wellness, recognizing that mental health is just as important as physical health in achieving peak performance.”

-“Resilience – The ability to bounce back from struggle. We cultivate resilience in athletes by providing them with the tools and support they need to overcome challenges.”

-“Accountability – We empower athletes to take ownership of their journey – to set goals, put the time in, and overcome challenges.”

GETTING TO KNOW ISABELLA MCDANIEL

Isabella McDaniel has set goals in her efforts which include helping others.

Those goals are a result of her own experiences and struggles.

She shared that she “struggled with anxiety and depression for years. Not feeling good enough, barely surviving, it felt like my brain was a scary monster. I came to a point where I didn’t want to keep going.”

“Sports have been a huge part of my life,” she said. “I played volleyball, tennis and was in track in high school. It was very fun, but also very stressful – the balance of everything, the coping with injury, the failures, the playing time, all sometimes reflect on how we view ourselves. We often, and I do too, take this personally.”

The non-profit programs, Delivered and Unbreakable, stem from McDaniel’s personal struggles that began when she was on a TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) retreat weekend.

“I became inspired,” she said. “The name ‘Delivered’ comes from Psalms 34 – ‘That God is close to the broken hearted and Delivers them ‘.”

Delivered, which McDaniel started in November of 2022, is an outreach dedicated to helping others find purpose through all walks of life.

Unbreakable is a branch of Delivered and McDaniel explained, “All the same values, but Unbreakable is specifically for athletes and their purpose. Delivered caters to everyone.”

“We have talked to hundreds, spreading a message that everyone has a purpose,” she said. “We have developed mentorships, working with youth in schools and the YMCA, providing resources to communities that help them instill purpose in their lives.”

“I want to take this program, ‘Unbreakable,” and work with athletes all over and to also continue the message of “Delivered,’ that everyone has a purpose. Due to recent studies of the increase in NCAA athletes, with them feeling overworked and mentally exhausted, it made me want to have a program where mental health in athletes was fortified.”

Angelo James, left, strength and conditioning coach at Geneseo High School; and Isabella McDaniel, GHS senior, are hoping area athletes and coaches will join them at the upcoming Unbreakable Program on June 7 at the Geneseo Foundation Athletic Center. Photo by Claudia Loucks

Coach Angelo James, strength and conditioning coach at GHS, also is involved with McDaniel’s program and she explained, “The idea of athletes’ mental health was in my brain for so long and it felt like there was something missing from the equation. Since Coach James has worked with all ages and levels of athletics, I knew he was someone to help me with Unbreakable.”

When asked how the programs are funded, McDaniel said, “So far, funding has been from the community, and we have been able to use facilities for free and speakers have helped at no charge. As we grow, we hope to gain more partnerships for funding and also have events and obtain grants to continue our mission.”

“We have had donations from the community,” she said. “We are becoming a 501c3 non-profit organization so we can apply for these grants to reach more people.”

McDaniel is the daughter of Rick and Gena McDaniel, Geneseo.

She will graduate this month from GHS and she plans to continue her mission of working “with athletes and people in general all over the nation to give them hope.”

She will attend Western Illinois University, Quad City Campus, where she plans to major in psychology and communications and then transfer to a larger university.”

A lot of doors are opening in my life and it’s scary, but so exciting to see my dreams become reality. My long term goal is to continue to speak and motivate people wherever I am.”