St. Ignatius → Official Notes
July 21, 2008 at 7:00pm
The Chicago Tribune Sunday carried the news of the death of Coach Don Amidei, a legend in Chicago track and field/cross country history and coach at St. Ignatius from 1983-1985. The wake and funeral was this morning, Monday 7/21. Details on arrangements are below.
Coach Amidei coached at the old St. George in Evanston, at the old DePaul Academy, at DePaul University, and at Northwestern University before coming to St. Ignatius. After leaving St. Ignatius he assisted at Loyola Academy in the late '80s and early '90s. He is a member of the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches' Association Hall of Fame, the Catholic League Hall of Fame, and the DePaul University Track Hall of Fame.
Although he was only at St. Ignatius for two years, he made a lasting impression on everyone he coached there. Under Coach Amidei, Dwight Gilbert went to the state meet in Cross Country (35th place) in 1983, and the 1984 team won the IHSA regional championship at Grant Park. The 1984 track team featured state medalists Gilbert (6th in the 1600m) and Michael Sawyer (8th in the 100m).
Coach Amidei will be remembered not only for his success and inspiration but his unique personality and coaching methods. He used an old-style silver stopwatch with rotating minute and second hands, and may have been the only one who could read it. He smoked a pipe at practice and at meets, and had a cap on it so he could smoke it upside down, which he did, without any tobacco falling out. He would have runners start time interval workouts several feet back of the starting line and would give the unique commands, 'Ready, Hit [runners would start] TIME!' [he would start the watch when the runners crossed the starting line] This was often quickly followed with 'Get it out! Get it out! Drive! Drive!'
Coach was known for punching his athletes in the arm, hard, as he passed them in the school hallway. (He taught history at St. Ignatius and was known to be an expert on Egyptology and ancient civilizations). If his athletes were practicing baton passes and dropped the baton, he was known to emphasize the importance of not dropping the baton by clocking each of the four relay members on the arm with the baton. At least once during his time at St. Ignatius he fired the starter's pistol at someone for screwing up a practice start.
Coach's expressions were also legendary. One of the more common ones was 'ass in a wringer,' as in, 'if you guys go out there and lose to Gordon Tech, I'll put your ass in a wringer.'
I was fortunate to run under Coach during his entire time at St. Ignatius. His departure from St. Ignatius came too early, not by his own choosing, and not in the way he would have liked to leave. But he made a lasting impression on all of us who ran for him.
I've often told people that Coach was the coach who really made me a runner. I still remember some of his workouts, like the 20 quarters @ 90 seconds with 30 seconds standing rest in between, or the 6 x 1000m on the day of the Ignatius Walk, followed by the 10 sprints up a hill and all-out 3/4 mile run in the sand back to North Avenue Beach. Or the mile in 5:15, 12 x 200m, and then all-out 800m. Or the 2 x 3-mile run, followed by 12 all-out 100m sprints. (That last one came AFTER a meet, during which Coach didn't think we ran too well...).
I'm sure everyone who he coached has their own stories.
John.
Donald H. Amidei
Donald H. Amidei, 82, formerly of Park Ridge, belovedhusband of the late Therese C., nee Crowley; loving father of Ann C. (Gregory)Gills and Steven (Lisa) Amidei; proud grandfather of David, Michael and Clare;dear brother of Lorraine (the late Stanley) Berntson and the late Richard (Marie) Amidei; fond uncle of many nieces and nephews.Visitation Monday, July 21, 10 a.m. at the M.J. Suerth Funeral Home, 6754 N.Northwest Hwy. (Rand Rd.), Chicago, until time of prayers 11 a.m., to Mary Seatof Wisdom Church, Park Ridge, for Mass at 11:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers,memorials to the Alzheimer's Association, 4709 Golf Road, Suite 1015, Skokie, IL 60076appreciated. Interment Ridgewood Cemetery.For further information, 773-631-1240, 847-823-6540 or www.suerth.com
Coach Amidei coached at the old St. George in Evanston, at the old DePaul Academy, at DePaul University, and at Northwestern University before coming to St. Ignatius. After leaving St. Ignatius he assisted at Loyola Academy in the late '80s and early '90s. He is a member of the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches' Association Hall of Fame, the Catholic League Hall of Fame, and the DePaul University Track Hall of Fame.
Although he was only at St. Ignatius for two years, he made a lasting impression on everyone he coached there. Under Coach Amidei, Dwight Gilbert went to the state meet in Cross Country (35th place) in 1983, and the 1984 team won the IHSA regional championship at Grant Park. The 1984 track team featured state medalists Gilbert (6th in the 1600m) and Michael Sawyer (8th in the 100m).
Coach Amidei will be remembered not only for his success and inspiration but his unique personality and coaching methods. He used an old-style silver stopwatch with rotating minute and second hands, and may have been the only one who could read it. He smoked a pipe at practice and at meets, and had a cap on it so he could smoke it upside down, which he did, without any tobacco falling out. He would have runners start time interval workouts several feet back of the starting line and would give the unique commands, 'Ready, Hit [runners would start] TIME!' [he would start the watch when the runners crossed the starting line] This was often quickly followed with 'Get it out! Get it out! Drive! Drive!'
Coach was known for punching his athletes in the arm, hard, as he passed them in the school hallway. (He taught history at St. Ignatius and was known to be an expert on Egyptology and ancient civilizations). If his athletes were practicing baton passes and dropped the baton, he was known to emphasize the importance of not dropping the baton by clocking each of the four relay members on the arm with the baton. At least once during his time at St. Ignatius he fired the starter's pistol at someone for screwing up a practice start.
Coach's expressions were also legendary. One of the more common ones was 'ass in a wringer,' as in, 'if you guys go out there and lose to Gordon Tech, I'll put your ass in a wringer.'
I was fortunate to run under Coach during his entire time at St. Ignatius. His departure from St. Ignatius came too early, not by his own choosing, and not in the way he would have liked to leave. But he made a lasting impression on all of us who ran for him.
I've often told people that Coach was the coach who really made me a runner. I still remember some of his workouts, like the 20 quarters @ 90 seconds with 30 seconds standing rest in between, or the 6 x 1000m on the day of the Ignatius Walk, followed by the 10 sprints up a hill and all-out 3/4 mile run in the sand back to North Avenue Beach. Or the mile in 5:15, 12 x 200m, and then all-out 800m. Or the 2 x 3-mile run, followed by 12 all-out 100m sprints. (That last one came AFTER a meet, during which Coach didn't think we ran too well...).
I'm sure everyone who he coached has their own stories.
John.
Donald H. Amidei
Donald H. Amidei, 82, formerly of Park Ridge, belovedhusband of the late Therese C., nee Crowley; loving father of Ann C. (Gregory)Gills and Steven (Lisa) Amidei; proud grandfather of David, Michael and Clare;dear brother of Lorraine (the late Stanley) Berntson and the late Richard (Marie) Amidei; fond uncle of many nieces and nephews.Visitation Monday, July 21, 10 a.m. at the M.J. Suerth Funeral Home, 6754 N.Northwest Hwy. (Rand Rd.), Chicago, until time of prayers 11 a.m., to Mary Seatof Wisdom Church, Park Ridge, for Mass at 11:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers,memorials to the Alzheimer's Association, 4709 Golf Road, Suite 1015, Skokie, IL 60076appreciated. Interment Ridgewood Cemetery.For further information, 773-631-1240, 847-823-6540 or www.suerth.com
July 16, 2008 at 8:16pm
St. Ignatius College Prep - Track/X Country Reunion
Host: Track & Cross Country Teams
Location: Lizzie McNeil's
400 N. McClurg Court, Chicago, IL View Map
When: Thursday, July 31, 6:30pm
Friends, Runners, and Coaches please join us to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 1988 9th place state finish and the Continuing Career of an Outstanding Educator, Mr. Connelly. Lizzie McNeill's 400 N. McClurg Ct., Chicago (312) 467-1992 (On the N. Bank of Chicago River btwn Columbus and Lake Shore Dr.) **$5 validated parking available at Corner of Illinois St. and New St.** **Enter lot from New Street** Event Cost: $20 in advance, $30 at the door Includes: Open Bar (beer/wine/pop) until 9 p.m. Pizza and Appetizers **Cash bar after 9 p.m.** **Disclaimer: You do not need to be a member of the track or cross country team in order to attend. All friends are welcome; feel free to forward to others!** **Commemorative T-shirts will be available for sale at the party** **Space may be limited so please mail in your reply by July 24th.** Mail to: Dan Fitzgerald 5623 N. Kenton Avenue Chicago, IL 60646 Event Committee: Dan Fitzgerald Mark Floreani John Lillig Tom Lillig Ken McGhee Torrence Moore Matt Murray Drew Orsinger Any questions, please e-mail: tlillig@gmail.com
Host: Track & Cross Country Teams
Location: Lizzie McNeil's
400 N. McClurg Court, Chicago, IL View Map
When: Thursday, July 31, 6:30pm
Friends, Runners, and Coaches please join us to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 1988 9th place state finish and the Continuing Career of an Outstanding Educator, Mr. Connelly. Lizzie McNeill's 400 N. McClurg Ct., Chicago (312) 467-1992 (On the N. Bank of Chicago River btwn Columbus and Lake Shore Dr.) **$5 validated parking available at Corner of Illinois St. and New St.** **Enter lot from New Street** Event Cost: $20 in advance, $30 at the door Includes: Open Bar (beer/wine/pop) until 9 p.m. Pizza and Appetizers **Cash bar after 9 p.m.** **Disclaimer: You do not need to be a member of the track or cross country team in order to attend. All friends are welcome; feel free to forward to others!** **Commemorative T-shirts will be available for sale at the party** **Space may be limited so please mail in your reply by July 24th.** Mail to: Dan Fitzgerald 5623 N. Kenton Avenue Chicago, IL 60646 Event Committee: Dan Fitzgerald Mark Floreani John Lillig Tom Lillig Ken McGhee Torrence Moore Matt Murray Drew Orsinger Any questions, please e-mail: tlillig@gmail.com
December 29, 2007 at 1:03pm
Hey guys, just hoping we could get some more people on this. I know we all have at least a few guys we could send an email to and get them on here. Long term, this is the best way to have us keep in touch
November 12, 2007 at 1:34pm
Welcome to the St. Ignatius Running Team Page. Current runners, Alumni, Fans, and parents are welcome to join. Go Wolfpack!
