In his journey from student-athlete to award winning coach, John Nalley, Junior Varsity (JV) Football and Boys’ Track and Field coach, has earned Hall of Fame recognition from both Lisle High School and Palatine High School. Now, he brings that same passion and dedication to South by emphasizing that each person is important and unique, Nalley said.
Nalley spent more than 20 years as the Head Track and Field Coach at Palatine High School before coming to South. During that time, the teams he coached won five state championships and had 24 state medalists. His leadership and dedication at Palatine earned him a place in Palatine’s Hall of Fame, Nalley said.
“It was a lot of fun and very humbling,” Nalley said. “There are so many people who have been a part of Palatine who also deserve it, but it’s nice to be recognized for the work I did there.”
Nalley’s connection to sports branches far back into his youth, Nalley said. Nalley grew up surrounded by sports because his father was the Athletic Director at Lisle High School, Nalley shared. The early exposure to sports shaped his lifelong love for competition and teamwork, Nalley explained.
“I was lucky my dad was the coach and the Athletic Director [at Lisle High School because] I was around Lisle athletics,” Nalley said. “We moved there when I was three so I always just hung around my dad.”
Due to sports’ strong influence, Nalley became a multi-sport athlete at Lisle, playing football, basketball, baseball, cross country, and track and field. Competing in a wide variety of sports helped him understand the value of balance and many more skills he later brought into his coaching career, Nalley explained.
“It wasn’t just me [who played sports], all of my friends did something in the fall, winter, and spring, sports-wise,” Nalley said. “I learned that every sport teaches you something different about yourself and about working with others”
Nalley’s proudest moment as an athlete was during his senior year when he led the Lisle Track & Field team to victory, bringing home the Lisle track team’s first ever state trophy. The team’s third place finish was a huge milestone for the program and remains one of his favorite memories, Nalley said.
“[The Lisle Track & Field team] was a fun team to be part of, and it taught me the importance of commitment,” Nalley said. “Everyone gave everything they had.”
After graduating from Lisle, Nalley continued his athletic career at Northwestern University from Fall of 1982 through Spring of 1986 as both a track and field and cross country runner. When his college career ended, he stayed at Northwestern from Fall of 1986 through Spring of 1988 as a coach after discovering his passion for coaching, Nalley shared.
Today, Nalley continues to make an impact at South, where he coaches both the JV football team and the jumpers for the track and field team. He focuses on consistency, encouragement, and helping each athlete recognize their potential no matter their skill level, Nalley explained.
“I don’t think my coaching style has changed much over the years,” Nalley said. “I try to bring out the best in each person, whether they’re the fastest on the team or not. Everyone has a role, and they’re all important to the team’s success.”
Nalley credits much of his coaching success to lessons from his father. His father believed in giving athletes the space to improve through effort and attitude, Nalley said.
“My dad always said that no one does anything on purpose to mess up,” Nalley said. “If you come every day ready to improve, you’re contributing to the team.”
Nalley believes his success would not have meaning without the influential people surrounding him.
“When an opportunity presents itself, run with it,” Nalley said. “You have to surround yourself with good people and make the most of every opportunity. That’s what I tell my athletes, because you never know where those chances will take you.”