Thornwood High School Track & Field: The Beginning Of A New Era

Tony Jones

Idris and Damani Shakoor are now the new sheriffs in charge at Thornwood HS

Saying goodbye is never an easy thing to do. We all will have to do it one day. The 2013-14 school year was the final season in which longtime coaches Brian Evans and Roy White would be at the helm of the Thornwood boys and girls track and field teams. They were preceded by the legendary Gary Haupert who guided the Thunderbirds to four state championships on the boys’ side.

Now the T-Birds usher in new head coaches Idris and Damani Shakoor. The brother duo are not strangers to District 202. Idris once competed for Coach Haupert and Damani coached at Bloom Township High School. He also served as a volunteer coach at Thornwood.

Damani has been working hard in re-establishing the girls program, but he was gracious enough to take a few moments out of his busy schedule to share his story and vision for the Thornwood girls program.

Let's start with your beginning. Where do you attend high school and then college? What years?

From 1987 to 1991 I attended Gordon Tech High School, which is now known as DePaul College Prep.  The next four years I would spend at the University of Iowa.

Did you play sports in high school? How about college?

I participated in both track and football in high school and at the collegiate level.

You have coached for quite a long time on the high school level. Where did you first break in? 

The summer of my junior year in college I worked with the 13 and 14 year olds for the Illinois Flames Youth Track Club, in addition to helping my younger brother improve his speed in the 400 Meter dash and 300 Meter Hurdles.

You are also a club coach as well. Can you explain what the club name is and what your mission is?
From 1997 to 1998 I helped out as a volunteer at Thornwood High School as I chased the pigskin dream of playing in the NFL.  In 1998 my true break as a high school track coach came, when I was hired as the sprint coach at Bloom Township High School. 
 
Under my guidance Bloom Township High School Boy’s Track program went from last place in 1999 to SICA East Sectional Champions in 2000.  We would also reestablish the program as one of the top sprint oriented track programs in the state of Illinois with a fifth place finish at the IHSA 2000 State Track & Field Championship.  
In 1997 I founded the Stealth Bombers Track which was one of the first summer track program established in the south suburbs of Illinois.  Club mission and purpose, “Using the sport of track and field to improve the quality of life for youth through the education.
You indicated previously that you coached some prominent kids via your club that ran for other high schools. Can you share a few of those former student-athletes and where they went?

BLOOM TWP

THORNWOOD

H.F.

SETON ACADEMY

Kenny Mannie

Byron Ruff

Taylor Farley

 Dejane Terry

Kellen Moore

Dion Ballentine

Taylor Lynch

 Brian Barney

Ronald Moore

Ron Mitchell

Courtney Salley

 Camille Smith

Tyreese Andrews

Devin Grubbs

Courtney Cross

 Mykel Adams

Tyrell Andrews

Josh Chapman

Christin Salley

 Anisha Johnson

Imani Carey

Carlton Hondras

 

 Sean Martin

Laura Jefferson

Leola Mitchell

 

 

Tiffany Tucker

Seqouia McKinney

 

 

 

Paris McFarland

 

 

 

 

 

THORNTON TWP

THORNRIDGE

CRETE MONEE

Walther Lutheran

Nicole Blow

Calvin Williams

Tayler Whittler

Melanie Ransom

Carolyn Estes

Darrian McDowell

 

Morgan Ransom

Jackie Smart

Whitney Gordon

 

 

William Lindsey

 

 

 

Melanie Zimmerman

 

 

 

You were a staple on the Class A level at Seton Academy for many years. What were some of your accomplishments while you were the head man there?
For 10 years I had been working as the head track coach for Seton Academy High School, where I was nominated six times, and was awarded ITCCCA Class A Track & Field Girls’ Coach of the year in 2012.  I was responsible for turning a non-existing track program into one of the top girls track teams in the state of Illinois, who would eventually earn the respect of all three classes.

Why did you decide to leave and take the position at Thornwood?
I honestly left Seton because I felt it was time for a change.  The athletes weren’t as dedicated as in the past, and the numbers were extremely low although we had success in 2014. 
  
You have had an opportunity to coach for six months now with cross country. What was that experience like?
Anytime a coach changes locations, there is an adjustment period for the entire program.  It didn’t/doesn’t help that there was/is some negative publicity being put out there by adults, encouraging athletes not to run or to transfer.  But for the most part, the athletes that ran cross-country for me this year had an opportunity to develop a positive athlete and coach relationship.  Don’t get me wrong, no one likes change and adjusting to it can be even harder and a lot of times it can be frustrating for a young athlete.  So as a coach, it is imperative that you are patient with your athletes, in helping them adjust to and understand your coaching style and philosophy.

The climate from the outside appears very hot in regard to Thornwood in that you took over a program in what some sees as an opportunist. Can you expound on this?
People are going to believe what they want to believe regarding how I became the Head Girls Track Coach at Thornwood High School.  I wouldn’t call myself an opportunist, however, I did take advantage of an opportunity.  The former head coach retired, which allowed for me to apply for a position that was available.  Maybe I should have you post my resume’, so everyone will have a better understanding of why I was chosen for this job.  To be honest it was time for a change, the girls haven’t had success in ten years.

In moving to the present what has your relationship been like with the current administration and alums?

Overall I would say I have positive relationship with both the administration and the alumni at Thornwood High School.  I’ve been working in the district, which has given a lot of administrators and staff members an opportunity to get to know and form their own opinion of me as a person and as a coach.  I would have to say that my alumni ties are very strong considering a large number of the top athletes that competed for Thornwood ran over the summer for my track club.

Lastly, what are some of your goals- paramount goals for the Thornwood track and field program?

My goals for the Thornwood Track & Field Program are:
1) Reestablish Thornwood as one of the top track and field programs in the State of Illinois, and to become recognized on a national level.
2) To give young athletes an opportunity to improve their knowledge of the sport, and put them in a position to obtain a college scholarship.
3) To improve the character and self-esteem of every student athlete that becomes a part of our program, helping them become productive parts of society.