Joe Benoit

In January, North’s head baseball coach Todd Genke was inducted into the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. This honor is awarded to coaches who have had great success coaching baseball, and Genke certainly has. 

Genke has been the head baseball coach at North since 2004. Before becoming a coach Genke played professional baseball for ten years, spending time with the Colorado Rockies and other organizations. After stepping away from baseball, he became a teacher. In his 19 years coaching at North, Genke has amassed nearly 500 wins. Genke has had a large part in Saint Charles North’s baseball team’s success, but he owes it in great part to the kids and their families.

 “They’re the ones who show up hungry to learn more,” Genke says.

Genke is “blessed to have done this for as long as I have. This award is a tribute to me but also a celebration of our program and school.”

Genke received a ring and plaque to commemorate the honor, but one of the things he appreciated most is being honored by other coaches who have been in the Hall of Fame. 

He says it is nice that “people have appreciated what we have built here at North. It is exciting to celebrate with the whole school.” This was a huge honor for Genke, he is extremely passionate about the game of baseball and setting North’s team up for success.

Genke is humbled by this honor and says he owes a lot of the accomplishments to his coaching staff. He says they have all put in countless hours and effort to the team, and have such an unwavering passion for the game. Genke has been able to keep the coaching staff relatively the same in the 19 years he has been head coach, which is hard, but so much easier when everyone is so dedicated to the success of the team. 

In regard to how he has accomplished so much, he says “it’s all about the relationship with the kids.” He has an “open door policy” with the athletes, and he makes sure they always feel welcome with him to talk about anything. 

“You have to play a role model for the kids, and I really enjoy that,” said Genke.

Genke wants to make sure all of his athletes find success, and takes on different roles to accomplish that. 

“Sometimes you have to be a social worker, sometimes you have to be a psychologist, it’s all about being a role model,” said Genke.

Some of his best memories are not about the game, but when a former player comes back to him after they’ve graduated and tells him that they got their college degree, or got married. The relationships he forms both on and off the field with his players are very important to him. For Genke, that’s what’s special about being a coach.

“This is an individual award I received, but to me it’s a collective award, an award for Saint Charles North and all the kids that have played for me,” said Genke.