Head Boys' Cross-Country Coach:
Micah VanDenend
Boys’ Cross Country Coach, Schaumburg High School
Mr. VanDenend is starting his first season as boys’ cross-country coach. He brings to the position a solid record of success and achievement as both an NCAA-I athlete and as an NCAA-II coach.
Mr. VanDenend has been a winner, in high school and in college, and he brought a winner’s confidence and attitude to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in 2010 when he became the men’s and women’s track and cross-country coach. In his six seasons at the Kenosha, Wis., college, he not only changed the culture of the program but also produced many all-conference, all-regional and all-American athletes in addition to a host of national qualifiers and school record-holders. Those included Evan Lewandowski, who finished 13th at the NCAA cross country championships, and Jessica Watychowicz, runner-up in the 10,000m at the NCAA track championships.
At the heart of Mr. VanDenend’s success in quickly turning around the program’s direction was that he engendered a positive attitude and a true “team-first” culture among his athletes. His 2016 men’s cross-country team finished eighth nationally while his women’s team was 16th that same season.
In his two years prior to joining the Parkside staff, he served as an assistant coach at Wisconsin-Madison (2008-09) and as director of operations at Iowa (2009-10) and contributed heavily to two of the more successful Big Ten programs.
An Illinois state cross country titlist and state 3200-meter champion in track for Glenbard South High School, Mr. VanDenend starred at the University of Iowa where he set six school records, won the NCAA Midwest Regional in cross-country and was the 2007 Big Ten 10,000m track champion.
A native of Glen Ellyn, Ill., Mr. VanDenend now works in private industry as a broker with Afina Insurance Advisors of Oakbrook Terrace. He and his wife Stephani and two young sons live in Schaumburg.
Assistant Cross Country:
Tim Heisler
Assistant Boys’ Cross Country Coach, Schaumburg High School
Mr. Heisler has been the boys’ assistant cross-country coach since 2011 and a science teacher at Schaumburg High School since 2005.
Mr. Heisler is a graduate of Augustana College, where he ran track from 1999-2002. A Crystal Lake native, he competed at Crystal Lake Central High School from 1995-97 and then at Prairie Ridge High School in 1998 before matriculating at Augustana.
He continues to stay active in numerous athletic activities, including triathlons, 5K and 10K runs, century bike rides, the Chicago Marathon, various charitable events, and has participated in several clinical studies at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.
