After 26 years of running along the sidelines, cheering his athletes through the winding courses across Illinois, legendary cross country coach Paul Vandersteen is hanging up the Asics. The only boys cross country coach Neuqua Valley has ever known, is calling it a career as he steps away from the perennial power of a program he built from the ground up. And what a run it has been.
“I was over at Waubonsie Valley High School, and Neuqua Valley opened [in 1997], and Barb Barrows, the athletic director that was named for Neuqua Valley, and the principal, Kathy Birkett, got me on board. We started off with, I think it was 18 guys the first year. But my philosophy was get as many kids out as I could and have fun and try to get better. It’s all we focused on, ” said Paul Vandersteen.
Building a championship program for the blue and gold
Sure enough, the numbers grew and eventually, so did the winning reputation that developed from the blue and gold uniforms that begun to appear at the front of the pack. The breakthrough came in 2007, with the first State championship in program history behind the record-setting individual State champion Chris Derrick, who became a professional runner. Following a National Championship with that loaded 2007 team, the program also won State titles in 2009 and 2016 and took home eight State trophies in total.
Despite the tremendous success, Vandersteen’s coaching philosophy is less focused on winning first place medals and more on what cross country is all about, the journey.
“My favorite part is just the the positive relationships that I developed with the athletes. I mean, a lot of them are still my really good friends, you know. You know, some of them are obviously 40 years old now so it’s they’re young adults, and that’s what I enjoyed the most, is just developing those relationships. And I would say the second thing is just watching them improve. You know, watch them as scrawny little freshmen, you know, 105. And by the time they’re seniors, they’re 145 of muscle in their lean, and they’re, and they’re working hard and getting better. And that’s a lot of fun to watch,” said Vandersteen.
“He’s part of the whole cross country family,” said All-State runner Zac Close.”We’re all so close together. He’s a mentor, a teacher and a friend too. I’m really close with him. He’s taught me a lot about running and my races.”
A Hall of Fame career ends on a high note
Despite not being focused on State hardware, Coach Vandersteen sure took home a lot of it. As the distance running coach with the Neuqua boys track and field team alongside head track coach Mike Kennedy and future Neuqua cross country coach, Jamie Janota, the Wildcats earned State championships in 2018 and 2021 as well as the 3A runner up trophy this spring in Vandersteen’s final high school campaign.
It’s no surprise that the decades of success led to his eventual induction into the Illinois Track & Field Cross Country Hall of Fame.
“It was a great honor, especially to be inducted while still coaching. [Neuqua Valley head track & field coach] Mike Kennedy was also just recently inducted. So, you know, pretty cool. At one point, I think Neuqua Valley had eight Hall of Fame coaches that were coaching, and now some of us have retired since. But you know, Barb Barrows built an amazing athletic program at Neuqua Valley, and it’s just a real honor to be recognized by your peers,” said Vandersteen.
Turning the page with Naperville Running Company
The high school teaching and head coaching chapter of his career is now over, but Vandersteen is not ready to shut the door on coaching altogether. Working with the Naperville Running Company Track Club, he found a way to stay involved in doing what he loves by helping adults with their running training.
“So Kris Hartner, the owner of Naperville Running Company, approached me about starting this club here at North Central College for an hour and a half every Thursday. We get athletes from all different ability levels and age levels are 18 and up and we get together here on the track in and we have a great time,” said Vandersteen.
While no longer a head coach, Paul Vandersteen continues to lead, making a difference by helping others reach their best, one mile at a time.
