IL Born & raised. Proud RIHS grad. Teacher/head boys’ XC /TF coach. SIU TF + WIU alum. USATF Level 1 certified. My feed mostly chronicles my coaching life. 🙂🌈
Congratulations to
@coachjw
Jarrin Williams who was named as the new Rock Island High School Boys Track Head Coach at the Board of Education meeting this evening!
#thisHouseRocks
Warm reception for
@GodSpeedddd
tonight & had a chance to show him love before he runs in the Diamond League &
@WorldAthletics
Championships in Budapest. He & his family surprised ME w/ the BEST gift! It is going into my classroom to inspire the next generation of Rocks!
Super sophomore Gabe Mahn qualified for next weekend’s IHSA State Meet as the tenth individual not on a qualifying team today at the 3A Granite City Sectional with a swift personal best time of 15:06.
@RockIslandHigh2
@R_I_Schools
I’ve been listening to the Gill Connections podcast for the past couple of years & in 2024, I’ll be featured on an episode about HS State Meet Qualifying in Illinois. 🙂Check out the podcast to hear
@MikeCunningham
interview & honor coaches from all over the country. 🎄
Congratulations to this guy (Donovan Garro) who earned first team all-Western Big Six Conference honors with his seventh place at the WB6 meet last night (16:23.0).
@RockIslandHigh2
@R_I_Schools
🏅👏🏾
Sunday night will be exciting. 🏀 I taught and coached at Hopkins HS for 11 years, the last year was Paige’s first year playing varsity. 💙🤍 I’m a proud Rocky grad and was able to witness Brea’s last three seasons at the Rock. 💛❤️ Should be a great game!
Congratulations to my teammate, Classmate, RIMSD colleague and friend
@risoftball17
on an outstanding career as a softball coach for RIHS! 💛❤️ He’s also successfully raised 3 girls. This was taken after his super sectionals team win 2018 before winning the state title! 🙌🏾👏🏾
Proud of ALL of our guys who competed tonight! They moved our program from one point scored and no qualifiers in 2022, seven points and no qualifiers in 2023 to 41 points and qualifiers in four events! 🙂🙌🏾👏🏾
@R_I_Schools
@RockIslandHigh2
Can’t wait for next weekend!
I usually wait until a meet ends to do a photo dump of sorts but I got to meet one of the greatest T&F athletes who now coaches in the US. He was a great sport for letting roll up on him, ask for a selfie, & talk his ear off for a second. Thanks again,
@BurrellLeroy
!
I have worked in some great school districts during my career but nothing beats being at home. Every day is Homecoming for me and I love it. ❤️💛 I get to work alongside some phenomenally-talented folks too. 🙂
#PondTheRock
#ThisHouseRocks
@R_I_Schools
@RockIslandHigh2
The
@RockIslandHigh2
boys’ and girls’ XC teams had an AMAZING day at the
@IHSA_IL
2A Metamora Sectional. The boys’ team qualified for State meet with a 5th place finish. Senior Mackenzie M and junior Mary S qualified as individuals for the State meet next weekend. 👏🏾
@R_I_Schools
Super proud coach tonight. 🙂🙌🏾 I’ve got my first-ever
#IllinoisTopTimes
qualifier! He has worked since his freshman year to earn an opportunity to run with the best and prove that he is one of the best. We are excited for this weekend! 🙌🏾🙂
@R_I_Schools
@RockIslandHigh2
First day back to work for staff in
@R_I_Schools
and what a great kickoff, including our keynote speaker
@PaulForbesNYC
, who was highly engaging and energetic! I’m excited for our district to reconnect with our students on Monday.
#ThisHouseRocks
Pleased to have finished 🥈in our home invite tonight. A complete
@UTHS_TF
team won & several other strong teams competed. We had many season & career bests tonight & are trending in the right direction. I’m excited for what’s to come! 🙌🏾👏🏾
@R_I_Schools
SO happy that one of my partners-in-fun at work stopped in for an impromptu photo shoot this morning. We had to show off our school spirit and my Honors Eng 9 class ate it up!
#PoundTheRock
#ThisHouseRocks
#RealDill
❤️💛💚
#HOCO2019
Happy National Coming Out Day! 🏳️🌈🌈 It’s important to be visible, now more than ever. Students need to see me so they don’t feel alone & can be themselves. Find someone supportive & share your truth. You are not alone & it DOES get better.
@sports_equality
#CourageIsContagious
I thought I posted something post race about Gabe & the State XC Meet here but see that I didn’t. It was a tough day in the 3A boys’ race but not a bad day by any means for our sensational soph. I’m proud of his run - 2nd fastest this season - & of his effort.
@R_I_Schools
Very happy to share this announcement for one of my senior runners. He has worked hard & come such a long way in 4 years. His best running really is still ahead of him & I’m glad I’ll get to continue cheering for him AFTER this Sr track season! 🙂🙌🏾
@R_I_Schools
@RockIslandHigh2
I don’t think people TRULY understand what
@GodSpeedddd
has accomplished in his young track career… He’s an incredible young man and his community is SO proud of him.
@RockIslandHigh2
@R_I_Schools
@
Congrats to the
@RockIslandHigh2
girls’ & boys’ XC teams. They finished 4th & 2nd respectively at the
@IHSA_IL
2A Regional meet to advance to the 2A Sectional next weekend. Senior Mackenzie Meirhaeghe finished in 4th & freshman Gabe Mahn finished in 6th to lead their teams.
Despite one mishap, we had several strong performances today. We had a great start to the outdoor season but expect to improve as the season goes on. 🙂👏🏾🙌🏾
@R_I_Schools
@RockIslandHigh2
Congratulations to the
@RockIslandHigh2
girls’ XC team for winning the Border War XC meet today at Saukie!🥇🏆 The boys’ team finished in 🥈. Both teams had five to six runners in the overall top 20! Way to GO, Running Rocks!
@R_I_Schools
We also honored our seniors today!
I forgot to mention that this is the first time the RIHS boys’ team has qualified for the State meet since 2006. A couple of my runners weren’t yet born when RI was last there. 🙏🏾🥲🙌🏾👏🏾
@R_I_Schools
@IHSA_IL
#ihsasectionals22
Spring sports recognition tonight at the
@R_I_Schools
School Board meeting. I’m proud of the nine members of the boys’ track and field team who were recognized for their academic and/or athletic efforts this season. Here are two who were able to attend tonight’s meeting. 👏🏾🙂✨
Forgot to mention my birthday earlier this week. I probably wouldn’t have posted anything on Twitter but I loved my celebration selfies. 🎂😊 Happy 49th to me.
Not a bad finish at our first outdoor meet tonight - rescheduled from Saturday. I was excited to see the guys perform and they rewarded us coaches with all kinds of results! Hoping to continue moving this program in a positive direction! 🙌🏾👏🏾🙂🏆
@R_I_Schools
@RockIslandHigh2
Allow this proud coach to brag on these terrific SCHOLAR-athletes for a moment… 🙂✨ Feel free to join in. 👏🏾🙌🏾Congratulations to these XC &T&F student-athletes who were recognized at the
#NationalHonorSociety
Induction Ceremony tonight
@RockIslandHigh2
@R_I_Schools
@DeRushaJ
This situation saddens me. I used to watch WCCO religiously when I lived in the Cities (2001-05 and 2009-16). I occasionally remind you that I first encountered your TV presence when you were on KWQC in my hometown area.
Super proud of the guys who ran this morning. Each ran a season best or a PB! We came in thinking the F/S could finish in the Top 5. Each guy accepted the challenge & did his part. We finished 4th out of 14 scoring teams. GO ROCKS! 🔴🟡
@R_I_Schools
@RockIslandHigh2
The
@RockIslandHigh2
boys’ XC had a solid day at the First to the Finish Inv in Peoria today. 13/15 team members toed the starting line. 12 finished. 11 ran season best 3-mile times. 9 ran lifetime bests. We were led by super sophomore Gabe Mahn who ran 15:41.0 🙂👏🏾
@R_I_Schools
Growing up in T&F & as a student at Rock Island HS have been pivotal in my life. HS track & XC teammate Erik Belby got me into coaching. When I started, I had no idea that I’d devote most of my adult life to working w/ young people. Now I am the head boys’ XC & T&F coach at RIHS.
First official meet for the RIHS boys’ T&F team & we finished second overall after a crazy start to our day. Some of our top marks included 8:27.87 (4x8), 4:36.63 (so.) & 4:51.53 (fr.), & 23.16 (200m). We are looking forward to a great season! 🙂🙌🏾
@R_I_Schools
@RockIslandHigh2