Hello all! My name is Jeff Wilkie and I am the new Athletic Director and Coordinator of Student Engagement. I am coming to Hinckley- Big Rock after working in Plainfield for the past seven years as a Physical Education Teacher at Indian Trail Middle School. I was also the Boys Volleyball Head Coach at Plainfield East High School for the last four years. Besides working in the school district, I have coached youth hockey around the Chicagoland area for the last decade. I have coached 8u through 18u with most recently having a former player drafted to the Nashville Predators in the 1st round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
I am originally from Villa Park, IL and grew up as any 90s kid would! Pools in the summer, hockey in the winter, and country music on the radio. Hockey was my passion as a kid, and then added volleyball and football to it during high school. After high school, I attended and graduated from Western Michigan University. I also attended WMU for my Masters Program. Outside of athletics and my career, my family and I reside in Lockport, IL with our two dogs. We enjoy playing outside, going to the rink, our movie nights together; as well as traveling to South Haven, Michigan each summer.
One of the most important things I have learned in my career is that building relationships with students/athletes is always the priority. When a student/athlete knows that you are invested in their well being past the playing field, the level of trust builds significantly. I am looking forward to getting to know the community and building relationships across all levels of HBR. From the clubs to athletics, there are many different opportunities for students to get involved at each level; and make their experience a memorable one. I’m excited to see how through my role, I can help make an impact in a positive way moving forward.
