John Thorne
Wheaton Central and Wheaton Warrenville South
1972-2002
Teacher and Coach

2009 Hall of Fame Inductee

John Thorne taught science and coached at Wheaton Central and Wheaton Warrenville South High Schools from 1972 to 2002. John was head football coach from 1980 to 2001. John is regarded by many as the person who began the Tigers' power and prominence in the State of Illinois. During his tenure at the helm of the Tiger football program, John amassed an overall record of 181 and 65 while going 81 and 16 in the formidable DuPage Valley Conference. During this run, John’s teams won 4 state championships (1992, 1995, 1996 and 1998). His Red Grange Tigers were fixtures in the state playoffs as they also had two 2nd place finishes (1990 and 1991), a semi-finalist finish (1989) and two quarter-finalist finishes (1988 and 1993). In 1999, John was awarded the Notre Dame Club of Chicago "Frank Leahy Coach of the Year" Award and was inducted into the Illinois Football Coaches Association "Hall of Fame" in 2002.

As a member of the Wheaton Warrenville South track & field staff, he helped achieve 2 state championships (1996 and 1999). He was awarded the ITCCCA Pasquini Award in 2002 as assistant coach of the year in track & field. He also served both high schools as assistant coach in baseball and basketball.

John’s success as a football coach has simply continued as he currently the head coach at North Central College in Naperville. While turning the NCC program around, he has a 58-19 record. He guided the Cardinals to 11 wins in 2008 which included a perfect 10-0 regular season record. 11 wins is a school record and the 10-0 mark garnered the NCC football program their first CCIW conference title since 1960. Since hiring John Thorne, the North Central College Cardinals are a perennial 10 top program in the nation.

While John’s high school and college football accomplishments are truly impressive, he is most know for developing young men of character and being the head of the wonderful Thorne family.