Coach Jon Gordon Head Men and Women XC Coach

Coach Jon Gordon

Position: Head Men and Women XC Coach Email: JonGordon9@Aol.com Profile: (Photo above of Jon Gordon in the 1990 NCAA GLIAC XC Conference Championships) In 2009, Jon Gordon begins his sixth season as Northside College Prep’s Head Coach for men’s and women’s Cross Country. During the past five years, his teams have experienced tremendous growth and became recognized as among the top programs in Chicago. In 2008, under Coach Gordon, the Northside Mens Cross Country Team won its first IHSA Regional Cross Country Championship in Northside History! The Northside Womens Cross Country Team has finished in the top 2 in the CPS Conference four of the last five years. What Gordon is most pleased with in terms of the development of the teams is the growth in numbers and quality. Upon his arrival at Northside in 2004, the Team roster almost doubled from 17 to 31. Within four years the Cross Country Team numbered 88 athletes and posted a Men’s Varsity school record of 145 wins in 2008! and the Women’s Varsity posted 105 wins!         Gordon arrived at Northside after serving as Assistant Cross Country Coach for the University of Chicago, where he helped the Mens Team win their first NCAA UAA Title in the history of the program, and also served as the Middle Distance Coach for the University of Chicago Track Program, where he had All-Americans in the 1500 meter run, and the Distance Medley Relay. Prior to his appointment at Chicago, Gordon coached at St.Johns in Orange Park, Florida, where he was Clay County Boys and Girls Coach of the year, coached the National Gatorade Cross Country Athlete of the year (Michael James), and had three consecutive State Meet appearances, and qualified a record 30 athletes to the State Track & Field Championships, including the State Champion in the 800m run (Patrick Weaver, 1:52). In 2007, Olympic Gold Medal Winner Billy Mills, featured in the movie, “Running Brave”, traveled all the way from California to visit the highly motivated Mustangs the night before the City Cross Country Championships. Olympic Athletes that have visited the Northside Cross Country and Track Teams from 2006-2009 include: Todd Williams, Jamie Nieto, Jon Drummond, and Hazel Clark. Gordon has a law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law, and was a former Law Clerk for Justice Charles Freeman of the Illinois Supreme Court. During his collegiate career, he was Captain of the Northern Michigan University Cross Country Team, earning four Varsity letters in Cross Country. In Track, Gordon earned NCAA GLIAC All Conference honors in the 1500 (4:07) and 3000m (9:10). He is a member of Glenbrook North High School’s College Wall of Fame.