Former Head Coach/website/Volunteer- Libby McArthur
Contact information:
[email protected] or call 708-424-7400 ext 325
Experience: 18 years in Track and Field, 8th year coaching, 5rd year at EPCHS, also the EPCHS head cross country coach
Events: Distance and High Jump
Other information:
Coach McArthur will be taking a season off to spend time with her family. She will still be helping out with the program and maintaining the website.
Coach McArthur received her bachelor's degree in Art Education from Western Illinois University. At WIU, she was a chi omega and ran division 1 track and field as a heptathete. She has her masters in Art history from Governor's State University. She is also a member of the leadership team, which includes snowball and student leaders. Mrs. McArthur has three obsessions in her life; owls, llamas, and her love of rubber ducks. When not at EPCHS, she is at home with her husband Jason and her 3 cats Marzipan, Murdoc, and MacGyver. She is also a huge Chicago Bears and Blackhawk fan! She runs 5ks-10ks in her free time. She welcomed a baby girl at the end of May named Evelyn:)
[email protected] or call 708-424-7400 ext 325
Experience: 18 years in Track and Field, 8th year coaching, 5rd year at EPCHS, also the EPCHS head cross country coach
Events: Distance and High Jump
Other information:
Coach McArthur will be taking a season off to spend time with her family. She will still be helping out with the program and maintaining the website.
Coach McArthur received her bachelor's degree in Art Education from Western Illinois University. At WIU, she was a chi omega and ran division 1 track and field as a heptathete. She has her masters in Art history from Governor's State University. She is also a member of the leadership team, which includes snowball and student leaders. Mrs. McArthur has three obsessions in her life; owls, llamas, and her love of rubber ducks. When not at EPCHS, she is at home with her husband Jason and her 3 cats Marzipan, Murdoc, and MacGyver. She is also a huge Chicago Bears and Blackhawk fan! She runs 5ks-10ks in her free time. She welcomed a baby girl at the end of May named Evelyn:)
Head Coach- Garrett Podgorski
Contact information: [email protected]
Experience: 4rd year at EPCHS, 20 years of track experience, 10 years coaching
Events: Sprints and Horizontal Jumps
Other information:
Coach Pod has coached since being in high school, and He ran track for 10 years including winter and summer track. He has competed at state, national and college level track. For the last 7 years, He coached 2 years of middle school in Wisconsin, 1 year coaching at college level, and this is his sixth year with the high school level. On his personal time, He trains muay thai and instruct at LA Boxing in Oak Lawn. He also enjoys watching the bulls and eating food whenever he gets a chance.
Experience: 4rd year at EPCHS, 20 years of track experience, 10 years coaching
Events: Sprints and Horizontal Jumps
Other information:
Coach Pod has coached since being in high school, and He ran track for 10 years including winter and summer track. He has competed at state, national and college level track. For the last 7 years, He coached 2 years of middle school in Wisconsin, 1 year coaching at college level, and this is his sixth year with the high school level. On his personal time, He trains muay thai and instruct at LA Boxing in Oak Lawn. He also enjoys watching the bulls and eating food whenever he gets a chance.
Assistant Coach- Lisa Shields
Contact information: [email protected]
Experience: See Below> first year at EPCHS coaching
Events: Distance Events
Other information:
Lisa has a passion for both running and the students of EPCHS. This will be Lisa’s first season as a member of the track team. Her running background includes multiple marathons, half marathons and numerous other running adventures. In her free time Lisa is devoted to fitness and cooking, as well as spending time with her family of two young boys Logan and Aidan, and husband Kevin.
Assistant Coach- Kandace Arnold
Experience: See Below> first year at EPCHS
Events: Throwing Events (Shot & Discus)
Other information:
Kandace received Most Improved Athlete due to her tremendously increased distances in the shot put and discus. Junior year, Kandace qualified for the IHSA State Track & Field Championships and broke the school record in the shot put placing her 8th in the state of Illinois. Senior year, she received a full scholarship to Eastern Illinois University for Track & Field due to her two school records and trips to the IHSA State Championships. In college, Kandace went on to break the university's records in the indoor/outdoor shot put, discus, hammer, and weight throw. She also broke the Ohio Valley Conference's outdoor shot put record in 2010. She received many gold and silver medals from competing in the conference meets, 3 MVP awards from the Ohio Valley Conference, and was named Ohio Valley Conference's Female Athlete of the Year in 2010. In 2010, Kandace became the first woman in EIU history to qualify for the NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships; there she competed against world class athletes in Eugene, Oregon (Track town, USA) and placed 16th in the shot put, just shy of All-American status. In 2013, Eastern Illinois University decorated Kandace and 9 other women in athletic history with and Significant Contribution to Women's Athletics award placing her in the history books as one of EIU's greatest female athletes.