The first meeting of baseball coaches to organize the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association took place in 1965. Jay Sanders of Highland Park High School was the first President and Ron Klein of New Trier High School was the first Vice-President. The first Executive Board Members were Jack Kaiser of Oak Park-River Forest High School, Jim Phipps of Niles High School, and Claire Lossin of Riverside Brookfield High School. Other significant coaches involved in the formation of the IHSBCA included Ken McGonagle of Evanston High School and Jack Mallory of Waukegan High School.
The organization was originally formed to allow seniors that were left off of American Legion rosters an opportunity to play in the summer. This was sanctioned by the IHSA.
At the time, Les Miller, the Head Baseball Coach of The University of Illinois at Chicago was holding annual clinics for coaches. He agreed to share his clinic with the IHSBCA. Thus, the birth of our present day coaches clinic. The first clinic was held at Oak Park-River Forest High School. Since then, many high school and college coaches have contributed to the success and growth of our clinics.
One of the first actions of the IHSBCA was to petition the IHSA to have the 16-game limit for public schools increased. With the support of the Principals, Ron Klein and Marty Wiora of Benet Academy got the schedule expanded to 25 dates, of which ten of those dates could be doubleheaders. As it stands today, all member teams of the IHSA can play 35 total games, with no doubleheader stipulations.
The first Hall of Fame banquet was hosted in 1978. The initial inductees were All Budde of Belleville High School, Guy Cartwright of North Chicago High School, George Fencl of Morton High School, Martin McCarty of North Shore County Day High School, Jim Phipps of Niles High School, Ed Papciak of Lane Tech High School, Ed Stonebock of Peoria Manual High School, and Jack Kaiser.
Today our organization boasts over 600 members, we select an All-Area team and an All-State team, our clinic continues to grow in attendance and quality speakers, and we try to be an integral influence on the IHSA in all matters related to Illinois High School Baseball.
IHSBCA PRESIDENTS
1965 Jay Sanders, Highland Park High School
1966 Jay Sanders, Highland Park High School
1967
1968
1969
1970 Jack Kaiser, Oak Park-River Forest High School
1971 Jack Kaiser, Oak Park-River Forest High School
1972 Jim Phipps, Niles West High School
1973 Jim Phipps, Niles West High School
1974 Ron Klein, New Trier High School
1975 Ron Klein, New Trier High School
1976 Ron Mellen, Sandburg High School
1977 Ron Mellen, Sandburg High School
1978 Ed Puck, Hinsdale South High School
1979 Ed Puck, Hinsdale South High School
1980 Ron Guagenti, Rich East High School
1981 Mike Kincannon, Addison Trail High School
1982 Marty Wiora, Benet Academy
1983 Marty Wiora, Benet Academy
1984 Don Kuehner, Marist High School
1985 Don Kuehner, Marist High School
1986 Dave Lindley, Hinsdale South High School
1987 Larry Pohlman, Prospect High School
1988 Larry Pohlman, Prospect High School
1989 Bill Seiple, Naperville Central High School
1990 Bill Seiple, Naperville Central High School
1991 Frank Eccles, Thornton High School
1992 Frank Eccles, Thornton High School
1993 Paul Groot, Schaumburg High School
1994 Paul Groot, Schaumburg High School
1995 Tom Johnson, Bremen High School
1996 Tom Johnson, Bremen High School
1997 John Wendell, Buffalo Grove High School
1998 John Wendell, Buffalo Grove High School
1999 Jim Hall, Lockport High School
2000 Jim Hall, Lockport High School
2001 Dan Hogan, Glenbard East High School
2002 Dan Hogan, Glenbard East High School
2003 Len Asquini, St. Charles High School
2004 Len Asquini, St. Charles High School
2005 Mike Riley, Glenbard South High School
2006 Mike Riley, Glenbard South High School
2007 Jeff Bonebrake, Benet Academy
2008 Jeff Bonebrake, Benet Academy
2009 Jeff Bonebrake, Benet Academy
2010 Dan Schoessling, Wheaton North High School
2011 Dan Schoessling, Wheaton North High School
2012 Dan Schoessling, Wheaton North High School
2013 Don Sutherland, Cary Grove High School
2014 Don Sutherland, Cary Grove High School
2015 Paul Belo, Palatine High School
2016 Paul Belo, Palatine High School
2017 Brian Wujcik, Richards High School
2018 Brian Wujcik, Richards High School
2019 Brian Wujcik, Richards High School
2020 Kyle Nelson, Burlington Central High School
2021 Kyle Nelson, Burlington Central High School
2022 Kyle Nelson, Burlington Central High School