Chris Madson, McHenry Community High School graduate, teacher and coach, will take over as athletic director on July 1, 2023.
McHenry Community High School District 156 school board members approved the appointment at the board’s Monday meeting.
Madson, who was an all-area basketball player for McHenry, has been the boys basketball head coach for the last six years, and an assistant coach for three years before that. He has also coached girls track and field, football, and assistant strength coach for MCHS.
His first job will be to find a new head basketball coach. A McHenry native, Madson said another thing he wants to do as athletic director is develop a coaching mentorship program for coaches new to the area, new to coaching, or both. A 2009 graduate, Madson said he benefited from having several mentors when he returned to school in 2013 after graduating from Lake Forest College (where he also played basketball) with a bachelor’s degree in teaching and history, and a master’s degree in teaching.
He also cited strengthening relationships with athletic feeder programs and creating a leadership program for student-athletes as other goals for the athletic department. “I really look at it as a house and you’re building a foundation,” Madson said.
Upon returning to McHenry after college, Madson taught social science for six years before moving to specialize in English Language Learning (ELL). He got his master’s degree in ELL through Western Governors University and taught multilingual social science before becoming the district’s multilingual coordinator in 2021. He went on to get a master’s in education administration and leadership from Aurora University in Woodstock.
Madson said there are a lot of longtime coaches on staff at MCHS with expertise to share through a mentorship program. He said MCHS coaches would also benefit from more involvement in feeder programs and more coordination through the high school.
Part of strengthening relationships with feeder athletic programs is improving community outreach so that the high school becomes a leader for athletics. That includes offering a space for feeder programs to practice at high school facilities.
The summer sports camps offered by the high school are very popular and Madson said he’d like to see that connection continue throughout the year. One idea is to host an open house-like event at the high school for anyone involved in feeder programs to learn more about what’s available in high school sports. Madson would also like to start a leadership program for student-athletes similar to what the social science department does for academics.
Beyond those priorities, Madson said he’s looking forward to collaborating with other coaches and sports programs to identify other goals for McHenry Athletics. For Madson, the role is especially important to him given he has many memories of attending Friday night football games and other high school athletic events growing up in McHenry.
“McHenry has always been home,” he said.
Madson was selected following a search that started after former Athletic Director Joel Beard announced his resignation. Dr. Ryan McTague, District 156 superintendent, said he was pleased to select Madson for the position, noting his contributions to the district as a teacher and leader.
“I’m confident he has the ability to take our athletic programing to the next level and fully engage our entire school community and their families,” McTague said.
To read the Northwest Herald article on the appointment, click here.